https://hmha.missionhouses.org/files/original/42869eed1b8703d03afff61aa76f0497.pdf 3cb95a00037da38b5c4e8fbaa95d1ae2 PDF Text Text HILO STATION REPORTS CONTENTS Unsigned........................... ........ .......... 1831 Unsigned... .............. . ...........................*♦-.......... 1832 Unsigned.................... .............. . — Unsigned. .............. — .................... 1833 .......... .......... *........♦........ .. 1834 Unsigned, handwriting of D.B. Lyman.............. .................. 1835 Coan, Titus and Lyman, D.B..... ........ ........................ ...1836 Coan, T.... ............... ................................ ........1837 Goan, T. and Lyman, D.B..... ................. ..................... 1838 Coan, T .... ..................... ..............*................... 1840 Coan, T .... ............. ........ -................................ 1841 Coan, T................................ ............................ 1842 Wilcox, A, Report of Schools........................................ 1842 Coan, T....................... ........................................ 1843 Wilcox, A, Report of Schools.... ................................... 1843 Coan, T ........ ...... ............................................ .1844 Coan, T .............. .. .(for two year s.).......... .................. 1846 Coan, T, Statistics of Hilo Church & Schools.............. ..1847 Coan, T ........ .... .... (for two years)................... ......... 1848 Coan, T ................ ........................................... .1849 Added 12/87 Wilcox, A. ------- Report of Schools 1839 (2) 1840 �[Hilo - 1831] , A very interesting state of enquiry has continued the year past a goodly number give pleasing evidence .that they have met with a happy change. A number of the head men of differen[t] lands have left their homes for a short season & built houses near us in order to enjoy the advantages of the preached gospel. The greater part of the year past the state of anxiety has been such, that [on the ] day set to. attend to their enquiries that ( !) my house has been crowded from 2 o' clock P.M. till 9 in the evening by those coming & going to enquire the way of life. church membership 13 eight, 22 Admissions to children of the church members baptized stand propounded for admission the number of marriages 261. The number of schools is 83, scholars 1077 children, males,, 3347 females 3163 total 7587. Our time being being (! ) short the exact number of readers not ascertained, as near as we could estimate one third of the whole 2529. [Unsigned] [On reverse side] : Hilo 1831 �Report of the station at Hilo Hawaii from June 1831 to June 1832 In speaking of the state of things at Hilo we cannot conceal the fact that our hearts are pained by the daily exhibition of an indolent ternpre among the people; that there is a manifest and strong aversion among the many to thorough-going instruction, and that of the thousandswho attend upon the means of grace, few give satisfactory evidence of being savingly benefitted. How­ ever imposing to an occasional visitor the sight of the assembling and assembled multitudes may be, they who address them from Sabbath to Sabbath, and visit them from house to house and see them daily know full well that they may be likened to the bones in the Valley of Vision - "Very many and exceedingly dry" ! Yet we believe that a change has been effected during the past year, I [Roman numeral] in their habits. They are becoming more industrious. than formerly. There is less lounging The people are many of them building themselves better houses; the women manufacturing bonnets; and they spend more of their leisure time in reading [.] While we have in­ culcated the duty of being industrious, we have given them work amply sufficient to occupy their attention while not laboring with their hands. With the breaking up of their indolent habits, we believe their domestic happiness is increasing. We have, during the year, celebrated 120 marriages, and have not heard of a single breach of marriage covenant. Indeed, the change in the habits of the people in regard to illicit intercouse with �Hilo - 1832 foreigners within the last 18 months, is striking. 2. The blessing of GOD on labors directed to this point, hath changed a polluted slough, sending forth deadly exhalations to pollute the atmosphere, to a land of purity & health. II. In their attention to instruction imparted in schools. The want of industry, skill and enterprize in native teachers we sincerely deplore. Yet we believe that they are all rising some of them rapidly in these qualifications, and that the people are many of them awaking to the value of instruction. Since the last report, constant attention has been bestowed (?) on teachers. Of the people, some hundreds have learned to read, and among them some of the chiefs, who six months since did not know their letters. In January we admitted to a public examination those only who could read and we numbered 1987 exclusive of the teachers. The call for books has been unusually loud, so that we have disposed of nearly all at the station. III. W ith regard to the attendance on the means of grace, and the apparent effects produced, we have nothing specially favor­ able to report. Preaching on the Sabbath has been uninterrupted during the year, and our congregation large and attentive. The lecture on Wednesdays & the monthly concert have been decently (?) attended. We have, at present, no occasional meetings, except a meeting for the chh. on Saturday evening. Our ninaninau [a class for questioning (?) ] we recently dissolved believing it to be in­ jurious in its influence on those who belonged to it. Our po elima [Friday night meeting (?) ] , we regard & treat as a school W e a l s o have a school during the intermission between �Hilo - 1832. divine services on the Sabbath both for those who can read & for the ignorant. This with our Bible class which is deeply interesting, and our Sabbath school which is well attended, so completely fills up the Sabbath, that the people find no time to sleep. Two evenings each week we devote to singing. Since the last general meeting we have surveyed our entire field of labor. We have made the tour of Puna, and preached from village to village & we have again & again walked thro the length of Hilo, examined schools, and proclaimed the glad tidings of a Savior. In these itinerary tours we have preached 70 times, and have had much intercourse with the people. We have also taken two new stations - one in Hilo, and one in Puna, each 10 or 12 miles from Byrons Bay. There we have agreed to visit once each month to spend part of Saturday in instructing native teachers, and to preach on the Sabbath. We have thus widened the field of our la­ bors, and we cherish the hope we may be instrumental of good to multitudes who are in a great measured deprived of the means of Grace. The people are now building large and commodious houses for worship at each of these places. When whale ships have been in port, we have had preaching in English. This in connexion with private instruction and Christian intercourse, we trust has been blessed (?) to the conversion of our master; and we hope good impressions have been made on the minds of others. In January we admitted to the church three persons who were propounded previously to the last meeting. another. In April we admitted At present there are none propounded. We greatly need divine Assistance in the prosecution of our labors. We need the �Hilo - 1832 4. Spirit's influence to bring sinners to the Savior's feet. "Brethren pray for us." Results. Habits slowly improving (?) Schools - rising Readers Admission to the chh Marriages 1987 4 120 [Unsigned] �C O PY SANDWICH ISLANDS JUNE - 1833 We hav e been obliged during the whole year to mourn the absence of the converting & sanctifying influences of the Spirit. Though the word has been preached from sabbath to sabbath & a few individuals have manifested some concern for their souls, & perhaps two or three hundred have apparentlylistened to the word with as much attention as is usually mani­ fested by congregations in the United States, yet the great mass of the people who are found in the house of God, seem to have little more conception that the word preached is designed for them, than does the house in which they sit. To a stranger they might for a single sermon, seem to give the best attention. Only a partial acquaintance with them however is requisite, to enable any one to see, that what he might at first have mistaken for the silence of an attentive audience, is almost any thing rather than that silence which arises from a sense of God’s presence & a desire to hear M s word & that what, at the first glance, he might have mistaken for the look of fixed attention, is for the most part only the idle gaze of almost thoughtless mortals who at the close of a sermon can give no account of a single thought it contains. -— No additions have been made to the church during the year & but one individual propounded. A few others seem to give some evidence of piety, but considering the general de­ sire to become members of the church & the proneness of this. people to deceive, we have not such evidence as we wish. -We have been called to the painful duty of suspending four in­ dividuals from our little flock one for repeated instances of defamation aggravated by falsehoods made in order to conceal her crime; -- the other three for a violation of their promise in respect to the use of tobacco & bold & repeated de­ nials of their guilt. — One of this last number confessed her guilt more readily than the others & by her subsequent con­ duct evinced such repentance & humility as justified in our view her restoration. She has been accordingly restored to the privi­ leges of the church. — Our little fleck has also been diminished by the re­ moval of one of its members by death, so that the present num­ ber in good standing is only 15. — In respect to the sabbath we are able to state that there has been a cessation of labour on that day & that a con­ siderable portion of the inhabitants in our neighbourhood have attended divine worship in the morning. The remaining part of the day has been spent by them in sinful indulgence. We have had melancholy evidence that the attention given to the Sabbath is generally just that sort of observance which might �C O P Y SANDWICH ISLANDS JUNE - 1833 (Continued) fee expected from a people who could be more easily persuaded to lay aside their ordinary business two days in a week than to labour industriously one. This has been evinced also of late by a disposition to leave the house of God altogether & to spend the whole, of the Lord's day in sleep & heathenish sports. — In short, we ought to state that during the past year we have had every month & every week conviction more & more painful that we are in the midst of a depraved & degraded people, a people who without a more abundant outpouring of the Spirit than has been here witnessed willlive& die heathens. To say nothing of the outbreakings of sin & the evident desire of multitudes to return to all their old ways, the mass of the people are heath­ en in many of the more important traits of character. In res­ pect to their Imbecility of mind, to their ignorance of Christi­ anity, to the absence of serious desire for instruction & in respect to the family relation, they are emphatically a heathen people. — In regard to the external respect paid by the people to o f f the gospel, we are able to state that the morning service on the sabbath has been fully attended though the congregation has been usually less than last year. For a month or more past there has been quite a perceptible diminution. Our afternoon service has continued this year as last to bear deplorable testimony of the peoples preference to sleep & pleas­ ure rather than to the truth of the gospel. — At four o ’clock we have had a Bible class which two or three hundred have usual­ ly attended. It has been conducted in the form of a lecture; thalesson the verses for the Sabbath School the week following. We have had a Sabbath School during the year of about 350 scholars, — lately some dimunition. The classes have con­ sisted of about 12 scholars each — Most of the mission family have usually attended & after the teachers have explained the lesson one of our number has questioned the whole school. The scholars have been interested & we encouraged. — Wednesday afternoon instead of being devoted to a lec­ ture as formerly has been the past year occupied in reviewing the sermon & Bible class lesson of the preceding Sabbath. — The mental character of this people being what it is, we think they are much more benefitted by a review of the sermons they hear on the Sabbath than they would be by hearning another ser­ mon without a review. - The monthly concert, a Saturday afternoon prayer meeting a female prayer meeting Thursday morning & the observance of Friday previous to the Communion as a day of fasting & prayer complete the meeting of a religious character which we have held with the people, — At the commencement of the yeas our two out churches, one �-3- C O P Y SANDWICH ISLANDS JUNE - 1833 (Continued) at Hakalau(?)about the centre of Hilo, the other at Kuolo on , the border of Puna were dedicated to the great Jehovah. The former is the most important field, there being 16 or 18 hundred people within two hours walk; one third or perhaps one half of whom usually attend when there is preaching there in pleasant weather. — At that church we have preached 14 Sabbaths. One of the causes which has prevented our preach­ ing there so much as we otherwise should have done is, the streams in that direction are frequently so high as to render it difficult to pass them & sometimes impassible. Another cause is, the distance & ruggedness of the way is such that Mr.Goodrich has not always felt able to go there when he could go to Kuolo. Of those who meet at that church about two hundred commit scripture an the verse a day system. — At Kuolo, public worship has been conducted by us 22 Sabbaths. Rarely over 500 attend. Its principal recommendation for an out station is, that we can without difficulty go there Sat. P.M. & return Mon. morning, while there is no other place in that part of our field where we can go advantageously to preach without being gone several days. There are at that out church 50 or 60 who commit their verse a day. -Our field has also been visited in every part & the gospel preached in all the principal villages. Mr. Goodrich has gone through the whole field in making the tour of the island for the purpose of correcting the map, which object however did not prevent his preaching, In addition to this the tour of Puna has been thrice taken & that of Hilo once. By these tours the preach­ ing of the Gospel has been brought within the reach of all who wished to hear it. But after all we regard their influence in strengthening, encouraging & exciting our native teachers to action as by no means their least important effect. — We have devoted no inconsiderable part of our time & strength during the year to keeping school. At the beginning of the year we called in all our native teachers & com­ menced instructing them in reading, arithmetic & Geography. To provide for their sustenance we procured of the chiefs a spot of ground on which they are permitted to build their houses & raise their food. — In the mean time the native schools were left under the care of such individuals as each teacher chose to select from his own school. -The school for teach­ ers continued till the first of Jan’y & succeeded as well as we had anticipated. Their dispositions & previous habits were such that our efforts to induce them to build themselves houses & plant food coat us more thought & patience, & not less time than that required to instruct them in school. — By at­ tending the S . S. & hearing the gospel regularly preached, their scanty stock of religious knowledge was considerably in­ creased. In their studies our expectations were answered. Their reading was much improved. In mental Arithmetic, they �SANDWICH ISLANDS JUNE - 1833 (Continued) became able to answer questions, as well perhaps, as common children 10 or 12 years of age in the United States who have & tolerable acquaintance with Colburns First part. In Geography, considering the fact that most of them at the com­ mencement of the school supposed the earth to be a plain & these islands to constitute a large part of it, their progress was very considerable. The more intelligent of them as many as we could furnish with geografies for their scholars were instructed in drawing maps & succeeded so as to carry with them to their schools a map of the world & of at least one of the four quarters of the globe, drawn with sufficient correctness to answer the purpose of instruction. At our last ex­ amination of native schools, some classes were examined in geography & quite a number in arithmetic. Immediately after the return of the teachers in Jan’y to take charge of their schools we commenced a school for persons who wished to be regarded as candidates for teachers in order to supply every native school with two teachers, that each in his turn might teach the school & be taught by us. -In their in­ struction the same course was pursued as with the teachers the term previous. — We had the same trial of patience in ef­ forts to lead them to be industrious in their habits. Their number about 90. At their late exhibition in May they ac­ quitted themselves much as the class of teachers the previous term. We have also sustained most of the year a school of Chiefs & head men & some others in all about 40. In this school there has been taught reading arithmetic & Geography. As might be expected from the character of the persons comprising this s c h o o l , some individuals have improved much more than others. By the sisters of the Station a school has been taught in reading, another in writing & reading, & two select classes one in geography & arithmetic & another in Geography simply, & a sch ool of child­ ren in reading, arithmetic writing & Geography. — In all of these schools an encouraging improvement was exhibited at the last examination. — We have endeavoured to do something for children through­ out our field. Formerly the children under 12 or 15 years of age had'- but very few of them attended school. — This we felt to be a great evil. As one step towards removing it, the chiefs at our Station, in compliance with our suggestion, exempted the teachers from taxation, to which they were before liable in common with others, that they might teach a school every morning exclusively for children. On experi­ ment it is found that a large proportion of the children of suitable age are pleased to attend schools exclusively their own. The influence of these schools is already visible in �SANDWICH ISLANDS JUNE - 1833 (Continued) taming the children & leading them to church. These schools have been taught but one term. The number daring this term who learned to read is 107 — We hav e during the year through the agency of our teach­ ers taken the census of our field. We find the number of people considerably less than we had supposed, the whole number of seals being only 12,775; over 14 yrs of age - 3625; under 14 3150. -The whole number of readers at our last examina­ tion 2859, — 868 more than reported last year & between 1 /4 & 1/5 of the population. The number of marriages performed by us during the year 2 01 — We would close this imperfect report of our labours the past year by requesting the prayers of our brethren that the Spirit of God may decend upon us & upon the people of our charge, that means otherwise ineffectual may be attended with abundant success, & that the praises of our redeemer may go forth from our remote but important Station. (unsigned) (The original MSS, of the above document is inscribed on) the reverse side "HILO , 1833.") �[Hilo Station Report 1834] At the commencement of the last year of our missionary la­ bor at Hilo, it was found that the native schools were hut poorly attended & that not a few of the teachers had gone after lealea [joy, pleasure] . It was, therefore, concluded to suspend the native schools & increase our efforts for the instruction of the teachers. We taught them regularly 6 days in a week from the early part of August till the middle of May with the exception of a vacation of about two weeks. The number who attended during the first half of the year was about 50, during the latter half about 60. It is now almost two years since the teachers at our station have been ex­ empt from taxation. The same length of time has elapsed since most of them began to build themselves houses & cultivate food within half a mile of our residence. The principal branches in which they have been instructed are reading, Scripture, history, Arithmetic, & Geography. Most of the scholars have been regular in their at­ tendance, & have made such proficiency as to answer our most san­ guine expectations. A school has also been kept up most of the year for head-men & others. The number of scholars has not been large. They have also been so irregular in their attendance that their teachers thought it not best to examine them. A female school has been taught through the year. During the first part of the year the number of regular scholars was 60. Since December it has usually been about 80. Most of these scholars have been instructed in reading, & Scripture history only. 15 have been instructed also in Arithmetic & Geography. About �Hilo - 1834 2. Some feeble efforts have also been made for the children. But owing to the scantiness of our efforts & the want of a proper system we are unable to name any special results. Our schools have occupied a very considerable part of our time, & engrossed many of our thoughts. We have thought that the indi­ cations of Providence called us to direct our efforts in that channel. All the scholars of our station schools have belonged to the Sabbath school, & but few, who have not either belonged to the Station schools or been in some way under the influence of those who did, have attended regularly either the Sabbath school, the afternoon meeting on the Sabbath or the Wednesday or other meet­ ings during the week. The gospel has been regularly preached on the Sabbath & Wed­ nesday afternoon at our principal station through the year & an interesting Sabbath school has been kept in operation. During the first part of the year we preached frequently at the two out church­ es on the Sabbath, & weekly at two places about 4 miles distant from our residence. The last part of the year we have preached much less frequently at any considerable distance from our principal station. The reasons for this are, first, we thought it best to concentrate our efforts more than we had previously done; & second­ ly, the health of some one or more of our number has most of the time been infirm. About the middle of Dec. we held a protracted meeting which continued a week. manifest. The good effects of this meeting are still A few of the most forward scholars in our station schools who had previously never made any professions of seriousness, gave �Hilo - 1834 3. pleasing evidence of being created anew during that & a few sub­ sequent weeks. Our Sabbath school which bad dwindled down to about 180 regular scholars was increased to 350, & the morning congrega­ tion on the Sabbath was increased from 800 to 1000 or 1200 souls. Since Dec. we have held a daily morning prayer meeting with the natives. This meeting has been well attended. We have found the people much more ready to attend regularly at this than at any other hour of the day. Our meetings in the afternoon have also been fre­ quent during the last few months. # Four ships have recruited at Hilo the last year. When in port we have always considered it a privilege to address to them also the words of eternal truth. We have also supplied destitute Seamen with Bibles, Tracts, & other religious books so far as our scanty means would allow. What we have done in this way, has always been received with apparent thankfulness, & we most sincerely re­ gret that we have not had the means of doing more. The number of marriages solemnized by us during the year is 125. Of the three church members under suspension at the time of our last meeting two have been restored & one excommunicated. others have been excommunicated, & one has died. Two So that the record for the year is one died, three excommunicated, 22 admitted to church fellowship, whole number now in the church 37. [Unsigned] [Added on next to last page, cross-wise] : # It should have been mentioned that the tour of Puna has been made 3 times during the year, & the gospel preached to all who could be induced to listen. �-1- C O P Y (Unsigned Hilo Station Report for the year 1835.) During the last year, the station at Hilo has been unusually afflicted with sickness. The labors of Mr. Dibble were very much interrupted either by his own ill health or by that of his children most of the time from general meeting till he left the Station with his family the last of Oct. From that time till the last of December Mrs.Lyman was confined to the house, & most of the time confined to the bed with a fever. Mr. Goodrich's health has failed rather than improved during the year. Our labors for the year have been a religious meeting at day-light every morning; on the Sabbath, two sermons, a Sabbath School, & a meeting for explaining & applying the verses for the ensuing week; on Wednesday, a lecture; on Saturday a church prayer meeting. These with the monthly concert, a weekly female prayer meeting; & a monthly meeting for mothers, the two latter conducted by the ladies, complete the list of our stated meetings. We have occasionally held meetings during the week at places from one to three miles dist­ ant from our residence. The tour of Puna has been made twice during the year. The tour of Hilo has once been attempted, & relinquished, only two thirds completed, on account of high water. Besides these tours, one of our number has spent several Sabbaths at places from 6 to 18 miles from our residence. To the instruction of our school for teachers we have devoted no less time probably, the last, than during any pre­ ceding year. We have been greatly embarrassed in this school for want of books & apparatus. The average number of scholars has been about 45. The studies have been Anahonua, Hoike Honua no ka palapala n emolele, Helu naau, & cyphering on slates. From this school 9 have entered the High School at Lahainaluna. A school for females was taught the first half of the year by a native teacher under the supervision of one of our ladies. The last part of the year it has been merged in a larger school for both sexes taught by five of our best native teachers. This school has been near us, & we have paid par­ ticular attention to it, We cannot say much with regard to what has been accomplished by it, we are persuaded, however, that under existing circumstances nothing is lost by employing under our own eye, as many teachers as we can find possessing suitable qualifications, & not much gained by employing such teachers as we have at any considerable distance from us. A Station school for children has been in operation 8 or 9 months of the year. The number attending �C O P Y (Unsigned Hilo Station Report for the year 1835.) the former part of the year was small, at no time exceeding 40 in a day. This school was remodelled in January & some special efforts made to increase the number of scholars. From that time till the last of April, the average daily at­ tendance has been 90 or more. Our success in this school has been such as to encourage us to labor for children. We feel compelled to say, however, that comparatively little can be effected for children till more is done for them than our strength has permitted us to do the past year. We feel it to be a very great evil respecting our la­ bors, that they are not sufficiently concentrated, & yet we see no way in which we can render them more so without aban­ doning labors, which would seem to our enemies, to our friends, & to ourselves like relinquishing important advantages already gained. Our station schools require all the time & more than all the strength of those of us who have been engaged in them, on the Sabbath as well as during the week. Were all our strength devoted to preaching & pastoral labor within one hour’s walk of our residence, it would be but a partial supply to say nothing of about ten thousand people living more remote & need­ ing missionary labor as much as any class of people on the Sandwich islands. Our congregation has been about the same in number the last as during the preceding year, No very marked atten­ tion to serious things has been witnessed. the commencement of the year there were 37 native church mem­ bers. One has died & gone, as we believe, to join the communion of the church above. One has been excommunicated. Of the remaining 35 Six are either members or wives of members of the High School, six others have taken up their residence at Honolulu & Lahaina in obedience to their chiefs, twenty three remain at Hilo, not walking in the commandments & ordinances of the Lord blameless, but giving as a body, per­ haps, as much evidence of piety as they have ever done. Of those residing at other places one or two are said to be proper subjects for church discipline. There are some individuals not in the church for whom we entertain the hope that their names are written in the La m b ’s book of life. None have been received to the church however during the year. The number of adult scholars in our Sabbath school has been considerably diminished the last year by removals, the district occupied by more than half of our congregation having repeatedly changed owners the last six months. The present number of adult scholars is about 250. During the last few months about 150 children have �-3C O P Y (Unsigned Hilo Station Report for the year 1835) Continued belonged to our Sabbath School. The number pres­ ent at one time varies from 90 to 130. About 50 of the children commit their verse a day. Since the middle of Jan. 15 native schools not before mentioned have been taught in our vicinity. In five of these were 80 children, in the other ten were about 400 readers. The most that we can say of their influence is that we think it has been on the whole favorable. They have been the means of bringing out some parents to meeting & some children to the Sabbath Sc h o o l . The demand for books during the last few months has been encouraging, exceeding the supply. The demand for the Kumu Hawaii has amounted to between 90 & 100. The number who have given their names to pay for t he paper is about 80. The number of marriages previously to the middle of last month was 195, How many of them were unsanctioned by the laws of God & of the king we do not know. In conclusion we would only add that the station at Hilo is, in our opinion, too important to be abandoned without an evi­ dent & urgent necessity, & yet that it would be better to aban­ don it entirely, than to continue to occupy it, unless some important changes can be effected in relation to it. UNSIGNED) (Undated) (The original MSS. of the above document is unsigned and un-) (dated but the reverse side bears the inscription: "STATION ) (REPOST OF HILO, June 1835.") The handwriting is apparently) (that of D.B. LYMAN.) �- CO P Y 1- (Hilo Station Report. 1836.) Since the date of the last annual report of the Station at Hilo, the mission families at that place have been favored with general good health. During the first half of the year the building of one house & the repairing of another made encroachments upon our time which we hope will not soon be repeated. From the census taken in Dec. last, the population of Hilo & Puna appears to have been 12,058. In the business of teaching school we have aimed to do what we could without neglecting other duties equally imperi­ ous. Our school for children has been prospered, With the exception of vacations, amounting in all to 7 or 8 weeks, it has been continued without interruption, The average daily attendance has been from 90 to 100. P erhaps 60 or 70 have been regular attendants through the whole year. There has also been a large number who have attended, some for months, others for a few days only. Names enrolled as members of the school during the year about 300. The number present at the last examination was 145, of whom 108 could read, 40 were examined in Arithmetic, about the same number in Geography, 39 in writing, & a few girls exhibited specimens of needlework. During the former part of the year the most forward of the children were taught Arithmetic as one exercise of the children's school. The last few months they have been instruct­ ed in Arithmetic & Geography as a part of the school for teach­ ers, In comparing the state of our children's school with what it was a year ago, we notice that the proportion of read­ ers is larger, & that the most forward class of girls are more advanced in their studies than any class then in the school; but that among the boys, the advance has been in bringing for­ ward younger clas ses while those most advanced have left the school. The former part of the year our school for teachers was small. Average attendance about 25, & was instructed only 3 days per week, one day by ourselves, & two by a native assist­ ant, Since Jan’y -thisschool has been taught 5 days per week, & the number of men belonging to it has been 50, who with about 40 members of the children’s school have three days per week been arranged in 4 classes & taught by the two missionaries at the station assisted by two native monitors., the monitors almost uniformly instructing the adult classes. The remaining two days, those teachers who have regularly attended the Station school the last four years or who teach within 6 miles of the station, have been employed in teaching their own schools, while those who have recently enter­ ed the school & do not teach in the vicinity, amounting to about 25 in number together with the children already mention­ ed have been instructed by one of our number in Geography. �-2C O P Y (Hilo Station Report, 1836 - Continued.) We have through, the year given regular daily instruct­ ion, at our houses, to one, & a part of the time to two of our native teachers, who are more advanced than their companions. An adult Station school has been continued three days per week through the year, taught under our supervision by two of our best native teachers with such assistants as they have needed; Daily attendance from 80 to 100. About three fourths of whom are females. The number who exhibited as members of this school at the last examination was 141. We have through the year employed three native teachers to assist us in the Station schools, & have paid them one yd. of cotton cloth per week each. It will probably be necessary to make them more compensation in future. With respect to native schools generally, perhaps it is sufficient to say, that there are as many schools as teachers. The first of Jan'y there had been only one school in operation for more than 16 months at a distance greater than 4 miles from our residence except in Waiakea. And in the remoter parts of that district the scholars could not be induced to attend ex­ amination, How, if we may credit native reports, there is some­ thing called a school at most of the places at which schools were ever established. Many of them have been commenced since our last examination. The number of readers exhibited at that examination was 1580, 900 of whom live within ten miles of our residence. The result of this examination taken in its connections, leads us to conjecture that the number of readers in our field is nearly, perhaps, quite as large as it has ever been estimated or about 2,500. , Our chiefs & most of the "luna ohana" cannot read in­ telligibly, Yet there are many places for which teachers are requested. Some request us to give them a teacher who can in­ struct them, & not one who is as ignorant & vicious as themselves. So far as the people are concerned, the present is a very favor­ able time for establishing qualified teachers at all the more important posts of Hilo & Puna. The demand for new books was never greater, probably, in our field than at the present time* While our experience in obtaining books & papers from the presses already in operation leads us to subscribe most fully to the sentiment, advanced seme years ago by our brethren at Kailua, that Hawaii will never be adequately supplied with books without a Printing establishment on the island. For obvious reasons, we have been able to preach but little at out stations the last year. At our residence, we have con­ tinued the morning prayer meeting, a weekly lecture or exposition �C O P Y (Hilo Station Report, 1836 - Continued.) on Wed. the monthly concert, a weekly meeting for the church, a weekly meeting for female members of the church, a monthly meeting for mothers, & on the Sabbath two public religious exercises besides a S, S. for children & another for adults. The general attendance in the S. S. for children has been from 100 to 140. We have regarded this school as claim­ ing our first attention. And were we able to do for it as we would, we doubt not it would soon become a fruitful nursery for the church. One little girl 7 or 8 years of age, a member of the school, died a few weeks ago professing love to the Saviour, & we have some hope that she has gone to dwell with him. The average attendance on our S. S. for adults has been about 300. Next to the S. S. for children we have regarded this as our most promising field of labor. At the date of the last annual report of our Station there were 35 members of the church. Since that time 13 have been dismissed, 6 to Honolulu, 1 to Lahaina, & 6 to Lahainaluna. The number of admissions during the same time has been 23, 20 on profession, & 3 by letter. The present number is 45. The number in regular standing 44, one having been suspended. 14. The number of native children baptised during the year The number of marriages celebrated 163. The number who have attended meetings both on the sab­ bath & other days has been about the same the past, as during the two preceding years. We have seen no general revival among our people the last year. Though for some months past there has appeared to be considerable enquiry on the subject of religion, & we hope that a few have experienced that change of feeling which many profess. During the months of Feb’y & March we made the tour of Hilo & Puna together for the purpose of examining the readers & laboring among the people. In this tour we spent 15 days. We found the people on the whole more ready to listen to instruction than we had anticipated. In the vicinity of Kaimu, Puna, we found a field which seemed truly white for the harvest. Six or 7 hundred assembled. Many listened with attention. And some of them, we hope, are really enquiring to know what they shall do to be saved. We think it exceedingly important that the post should be occupied by a mission family as soon as our numbers will justify. (Undated) (Signed) " D . B . LYMAN TITUS COAN (The Original MSS. of the above report is inscribed on) (the reverse side "REPORT OF HILO STATION , 1836.) �Hilo Sept. 12, 1837 To Rev. H. Bingham Ch‘n of the late Meet, of Memb. of S.I. Mission at Honolulu My dear Brother, The minutes of your late meeting, occasioned by the recent instructions of the Pru. Com. have been duly laid before the members of this station, & at their request I herein send you our unanimous views on the Resolutions contained in that document. On the subject of common stock, we unite with you in abandoning that system which has decayed & waxed old & "is ready to vanish away" . We agree to adopt the salary system, & hope to find it more ex­ cellent way". We object to the language of the 2nd resolution in Report No. 4. It is as follows. "Resolved that we accept the appropriation by the Board of $550" &c. Our objection is this; that the language of the resolution seems to imply that the Board have either fixed a definite salary upon us, or that they have recommended the system to us, with the distinct appropriation of $550 to a family. the letter of the Prud. Com. We do not so construe To us, it appears, that one object of the letter was, to prove to us what they considered demonstrated to their own minds, viz. that $35,000 is all that we need, to carry on the operations of this Mission. In order to do this, they have given us the process of reasoning which led them to the conclusion that we were unfaithful stewards, and that we had wasted nearly one half of our Lord’s money. In coming at the aggregate of our necessary expenses, the Board have examined the items, but when they mention $450 as the probably average ( !) expenses of the families of this Mission, we do not sup­ pose that they intended that sum as a distinct, or definite appropria- �2 Titus Coan to Rev. H. Bingham from Hilo, Sept, 12, 1837 tion, or that they even recommend to us the adoption of salaries. We have the same views in relation to the $100 mentioned as the probably annual amount of the contingent expenses of each family. We have some doubts of the wisdom of attaching that sum to each of our salaries. With these strictures we adopt the Report No. 4. We do not feel tenacious of our objections, & we are willing to adopt the salary specified, & wait until another Gen. Meet. when we will all try to make crooked things strait. On the Report on Overture No. 3 we remark, that we object to the language of one clause of the resolution. It is this - "Resolved that we will urge the people to do all in their power for our support as their teachers" &c. The clause underscored seems to imply that when­ ever we wish to call forth the benevolence of our people, we must present ourselves, their teachers, as the immediate & only objects of their benevolence, with the privilege on our part of ap­ propriating such a portion of our own salaries to schools etc . as shall be an equivalent ( !) for the donations received. We do not believe that your meeting intended by that resolution what the language fairly implies, viz. that instead of presenting our schools & other benevo­ lent objects to their minds, we should always make ourselves the grand object of their bounty. doubtless good. The intention of the resolution was The clause we have referred to, we think unguarded, & probably it implies much more than its framers intended by It. By a little amendment we could adopt the Report. We have no particular objection to make to the Report on Overture No. 1. except it be that the 2d recommendation ( !) may leave too �Titus Goan to Rev. H. Bingham from Hilo, Sept. 12, 1837 3. little discretionary power in the hands of an individual; but as the article is merely a recommendation ( !) & not law, we are willing to adopt the report. Report on Overture No. 2. & to some parts we object. 1st. Schools. or go on. Some parts of this report we approve, We will state our objections. The entire withdrawal of the grants for Wailuku & Hilo B. Your Meeting did not say whether these Schools should stop The inference is, however irresistible ( !) that you in­ tended them to disband; as we naturally infer that a man will not walk when his feet are cut off. But as "necessity” has long since invented wooden legs for such as have lost their lower limbs we may perhaps get some under these Schools and make them go again. We would grav e- ly say, however that we do not th i n k your Meeting wise in abandoning any of the schools already established. We think your mistake lies, not in reasoning incorrectly, but in reasoning from false premises. We apprehend that you reasoned thus. Premises. If the Mission Sem­ inary is sustained the other B. Schools cannot be. the most important school & should be sustained. clusion) the Wailuku & Hilo Schools must stop. The Seminary is Therefore, (con­ Now we dispute the premises. We believe the three school[s] may all go on with as much / vigor as ever. God’s treasury is not exhausted. Christ’s heart is not hardened - His presence, we trust, has not departed. is the point. But this We think you should have given us 100 or 200 dollars for the Hilo B. S. to help us out of our present distress, till we can have time to look around, & collect our energies. We intend to make the people do much to support this school, (now 31 scholars) but we want a little time to concentrate their force. �Titus Coan to Rev. H. Bingham from Hilo, Sept. 12, 1837 4. Our opinion is the same in relation to the Wailuku School. it must die let it not die a violent death. If Two or three hundred dol­ lars might help it to live & go forward for a season, until a thorough experiment could he made to engage the chiefs & people to sustain it; or until some plan might he devised to keep it in operation. These small sums, we think, would not essentially cripple the operations of the Seminary at L.-luna, for a little season at least, and thus all these Schools might retain the principle of life until some 'breath from the four winds should resuscitate them. little help just now, for these two Schools. What we wish then, is a We think the sudden withdrawal of all patronage a rather hasty measure, & we are fully persuaded that it would not have been done had all the circumstances of these schools been fairly before you. It may be too late now to alter what has been done, as it may have the sanction of nearly all the Mission before this time. We have no doubt that you acted honestly & with a desire to promote the greatest good; nor would we suppose that we may not be mistaken & you correct. We only give our present impressions as we receive them at this distant post. 2 d. Your meeting also resolved "That the 1000 dollars appropria­ ted by the Board for the Boarding School be given to the Seminary at Lahainaluna, as that was doubtless the intention of the grant." That you have rightly apprehended "the intention of the grant,” may be true; but to our minds there is no evidence of the fact from any of­ ficial documents we have yet seen. There may be private evidence that such was the mind of the Committee at the Rooms, but certainly it does not appear in their public correspondence ( !) with the Mission. The appropriation was made by the Board for a preparatory B. School. �Titus Coan to Rev. H. Bingham from Hilo, Sept. 12, 1837 No such School exists at Lahainaluna. 5 Perhaps the Board supposed that a school of that character had been established there. Perhaps they thought its location was at Honolulu or Hilo, & perhaps they thought nothing of its location. That they had no reference ( !) to its lo­ cation is a very natural supposition. They would of course leave that to the decision of the Mission, hut the object of the grant is most evidently for a distinct B. School and not for the Seminary. We are not now disputing your wisdom in appropriating the grant, or our half of it at least, to the Mission Seminary, (we should by all means give the whole to that institution rather than let it go down.) but we cannot possibly see your authority for saying, "that was doubtless the in­ tention of the grant.” Now what we ask is, that if possible, you should so far reconsider what has been done, as to grant $200 to the Hilo B. S. & perhaps $300 to the Wailuku School; & we will try to make up the rest from our salaries & from the donations of the people, so that these interesting groups of children, now gathered under the wings of paternal care may not be scattered again to the winds of heaven, & doomed to all the darkness & wretchedness of their fathers. We do not ask this, if the Seminary must fall in consequence. But we trust in God that this will not be the case; nor do we believe that it will suffer even, provided this Mission do not catch the "fearful & unbelieving" spirit of the times. We must foster it. shoulders also. We must cling to that Seminary. We must bear it on our hearts, and on our So we say of our other Schools. them in the time of trial. We must not abandon We must not blow out the few lamps which have been lighted to guide this people to intelligence & virtue. We are satisfied with the disposition made of the $1500 for com­ �Titus Coan to Rev. H . Bingham from Hilo, Sept. 12, 1837 6. mon Schools, unless some part of it could have been saved for the Seminary & B. Schools without material injury to the Com.- School interest. Perhaps you could not have done better than you have in that ease. One thing more. subject of old debts. Tour Meeting did not express an opinion on the Our sentiments are that no part of the $35000 should go to pay an old debt of the Mission; but that it should all be available to meet the expenses of the current year. With the foregoing exceptions & remarks we accede (!) to the resolutions passed in your meeting at Honolulu on the 22, 23 & 24 U lt. On behalf of the members of Hilo Station, Your affte Brother, Titus Coan �Report of Hilo Station for the year ending April 30, 1838 Station Schools. 1. Children’s School, conducted by Mr. & Mrs. Wilcox with Native Assistants. about 100. During the former part of the year this School numbered For the last half of the year it has received great acces­ sions of children so that at the last examination 400 were present. Perhaps the average number has been 200. 5 days pr week. This School has been taught The progress of the School has been cheering. Mr. & Mrs. W. have also taught a writing school of 75 for a considerable length of time. Mrs. C. has also taught a class of children at her residence through the year. 2. Teachers' School. Taught 5 days in a week chiefly by Mr. W. with native helpers, and with such attention as Mr. C. could give to it. This School has numbered about 100. examination. 130 were present at Its last It has been taught in reading, geography, Sacred Hist, arithmetic, the elements of Geometry & astronomy & in writing & com­ position. 3. School for Adults, conducted chiefly by Native teachers. At the last examination this school numbered 195 but its average attendance has been much less. This School has been devoted to reading & a few other exercises. 4. A school for such Chh. members as have never learned to read, has been established during the latter part of the year. This school numbers 64. Common Schools. Of these there are more than 100 for children & adults extend- �Hilo 1858 ing through the length of Hilo & Puna. 2. About 5000 souls are gathered into these schools including a large part of the children in the field. These schools have generally been prosperous during the year. have all been visited examined & stimulated several times. They During the present month (April) they have all been assembled & examined at the Station. About 4000 were examined on this occasion. Congregation. This has doubled during the year. For the last half of the year it has not differed much from 4000 on the Sabbath. Multitudes have flocked to the Station from all parts of Hilo & Puna, & the attention of thousands has been arrested by the claims of the Gospel. The word has been preached daily, and usually from 8 to 12 times a week for the last 6 months; nor has it been preached in vain. To multitudes it has been the power of God unto salvation. Much time has been spent in direct pastoral labors, & these labors have been blessed in the edification & enlargement, & we trust also, in the purification of the Chh. The people of God have been quick­ ened in duty; & for the most part they have been harmonious, prayer­ ful and laborious. Two Protracted Meetings have been held at the Station during the year, both of which were crowned with signal blessings. At the last which was held during the present (April) month the concourse of people was so great that all could not come within the walls of the Meet, house, and on some occasions we were obliged to divide the people & preach to two congregations at the same hour. Six other protracted meetings have been held in different parts of Hilo & Puna during the year. At all of these meetings the "power of God” has been “present to heal." The gospel has come to the people, �Hilo 1838 not in word only, but in power. 3 Fearfulness has seized upon sinners & thousands profess to have fled for refuge to lay hold on the hope set before them. Some of the most hardened have been melted. of the vilest have been washed & sanctified. Some Husbands & wives long separated, & indulging the bitterest hostility have been reconciled & restored to their first love. Theft & every other crime a r e far less common than formerly and a new moral aspect is spread on the face of society. The suffering poor have a larger share in the sym­ pathies & the charities of the Church than formerly. The Monthly Concert is attended by about 3000 people & perhaps 2000 contribute of their penury on that occasion. are in wood, pia, kapas, fowls, food, labor etc. Their contributions all of wh. is, by their own consent, appropriated to the support of the Boarding School at the Station. During the year the people have re-thatched our Meeting house, & built a new School house at the Station, & they are now engaged in building a second meeting house 115 by 50 feet. Statistics Whole number united to this Chh. on examination, from its organ­ ization to the present time 720 - died 7. good standing 709 277. Excommunicated 5. Removed to other Churches, 9. Bapt. Childn died, 7. Now in Children bapt. The foregoing facts all refer to the Station from its commencement to the present time. The following are the statistics for the past year. Added to the Chh. on examination 639 Received by letter 5. Children baptized 234. Now propounded 1500 Excommunicated none - Suspended none. Marriages 167. Died 4. Average congregation on the �Hilo 1838 Sabbath 3000. 4 Whole number enrolled in Children’s S. School 1000. Average attendance 400. In conclusion we would say that God has done great things for us & to his name he all the glory forever. the right hand of the most High. It has truly been a year of Sinners have come to Christ "as clouds & as doves to their windows;” but there are multitudes still left in bold rebellion against Heaven. For their conversion, & for the edification & perfection of the “body of Christ” we still pray & long & labor. On behalf of the Station, T. Coan. P.S. There has been an adult Sabbath School in operation at the station through the year, at which during the first half of the year, the average attendance was 400. during the last half the average has been about 1200 . D. B. Lyman �C O P Y M r . Wilcox' report of Schools - Hilo 1839. Our labors in the department of common (schools for the past year commenced on the 10 of July with about 140 children in the station school. But for the last few months the number has at no time exceeded 85, owing partly to the organization of another school near by, and partly to the returning home of ko Hilo and ko Puna poe, who had been residing for a season at the station. Owing to the migratory habits of the people, the population is very fluctuating. We opened, about the same time, a select school, taking such children as we could find at the station, These were in­ structed in reading, writing, geography, Arithmetic, Akeakamai, __ Aohoku. The No. was about 30. But, taking them, as we were obliged to, from families living near, we found too much disparity in age, attainments, and capacities. Besides, it was thought that the school would be more efficient, could a competent number of promising young men be obtained as scholars from various parts of the field who should receive instruction preparatory to their becoming teachers in the out-station schools. Accordingly efforts were made in Hilo & Puna to enlist young men to enter the school. The &ames of only 15 were obtained. These promised to enter the school at a given time, but only 6 of them were ever heard from. With these 6, and the former children, the school was for a time kept up; but the new reinforcement were so frequently absent in quest of food and the means of paying taxes, while at the same time there was so little order kept by the native teachers in the childr, school, that it was thought best, after having continued the school about 4 months, to suspend it for that time. Since then, our time has been employed in the Teachers’ and children’s schools. Immediately on commencing our labor for the year, we made known to the assistant teacher of the Station schools the inability of the Mission to pay them wages as they had formerly done; at the same time urging them to continue their service and make them labors of love. This request, with some murmuring, they complied with for the first week; but at the beginning of the 2d week, they had all disappeared; so that like the Egyptian flies, there remain­ ed not one. This was the means of leading the teachers generally through the field to feel that they could not labor as formerly without any support from the people. This put them upon devis- �C O P Y A.Wilcox' Report of Schools Hilo 1839 (Cont'd) ing some plan for their support, Two of them stipulated with their scholars, that every family should pay them one dollar annually. At the general examination of the schools in Aug, it was proposed by us, and acceded to by every school with an almost unanimous, and apparently hearty vote, that every family (large or small,) enjoying, as scholars, the “benefit of the schools, should pay yearly to the teacher, one dollar; either in food, kapas, or manual labor, at the usual rate. Also, the teachers should have each a house and kihapai given him, the house to be kept in repair by the scholars, and which, together with the kihapai, in case ©f his removal, should remain like a parsonage for the use of his successor. It should here be observed, that every school has 2 teachers, who alternate, and the dollar is divided between them, and the house and kihapai is for both. However, for the most part, it has proved an entire failure They pay their teachers nothing, and generally refuse them any remuneration; and as a consequence, many suffer from want; are alienated from their scholars; and in some cases have left their schools, and are seeking by other employments a subsistence for themselves and families. In several instances the schools have been broken up by the scholars,forsaking the schools, and in most of the schools there has been a great falling off. Many of the teachers in their recent reports of their schools, which till recently were large, report the daily N o. as follows: children 7, 10, 5, 0, 1. Others have 20, 30, and 40 in a day. Several of the adult schools are discontinued. One cause, the first and perhaps the pri­ mary, of this state of things, was the King’s tobacco law. The second has been the fear on the part of many of the people, that if they went to school they should be compelled in some way to pay their teachers. A 3d cause has been, the setting up in trade of 2 or 3 merchants among us, by which great encouragement has been given to the people to traffic in sandal wood and hides. The rage has been great. Men, women, & children; teachers and scholars', have been gone sometimes for weeks to­ gether to the mountains and forests in quest of these things to sell for clothing, and as a consequence, the schools have �1 C O P T A. Wilcox' Report of Schools Hilo 1839 (Cont'd) dwindled, There have been 3 general examinations of the schools in our field the past year. The first in July & August. N o. of scholars examined then, 4531; the no. of Adults 3134; children 1397. The 2d in No. and Dec. No. of scholars. 4060; Viz. 2600 adults and 1460 children. N o of readers cannot be stated with accuracy. The 3d and last was in April, and held at the Station but owing to the heavy rains which fell at the time, and the unusual rise of the streams, only a small proportion were able to attend. 1892 were examined. Of these, 1398 were adults, of whom 1291 are readers; 494 children, and 270 of them readers. The teachers are beginning to feel that all work and n o pay is dull business; and that it is more profitable to go f or hides and sandal wood, The Teachers' school has suffered much of late from this source. Several would come almost every day for leave to go, and urge as a reason their destitution and that of their families urge too with an importunity that would hardly take a denial. All the ingenuity we possess has been taxed to the utmost to invent reasons why they should remain in school. Some have gone without liberty or asking. We think there has been some improvement made by some of the scholars, especially those of the station schools. This is the fact with the teachers school. Some of them seem to have minds of the first order, and capable of being vastly improved; others are so stupid that it almost seems questionable whether the sun, throwing his scorching rays vertically into their brains would be perceived by them. The Adult Sab. School, since the first of August., has been under my care. So, of scholars has varied, I suppose, from 200 to 500. The exercises are usually continued over an hour are commenced with prayer, and closed with singing. A. Wilcox �C O P Y REPORT OF HILO SCHOOLS FOR 1839 [A. Wilcox J There have been within the past year 4 examinations of the schools in Hilo and Puna. At the first, there were examined 1068 children and 2130 adults. At every subsequent examination the No. was not so large. The adult members of the schools are nearly all readers and of the children 2/5 not including however those who join syllables by spelling them. A goodly No. are taught in arithmetic some, tho ' for the want of maps not a large No. are studying geography. When the new Atlas shall have been completed we trust a new impulse will be given to this now comparatively neglected branch provided the price is moderate. Writing has received some attention, tho' less than it would had the people been provided -either with paper and writing desks or slates. The Station Schools have been kept up tho ' they have depended solely on us for support. Nothing has been. Mrs. W. has a part of the time had a class both of teachers and children which she has taught at our house (Given The whole No. of children who have been enrolled as members of the school during the whole or a part of any one term is a little rising of 100 but the average No. of attendants taking one day with another has not been far from 40. They have been scattered here and there Many have run to and fro, tho' we think that knowledge has not been greatly increased thereby, Both in the children's and teachers' schools all those branches of study pursued in former years have received attention and we think there has been a very perceptible improvement in the childrens' school. The teachers’ School has been unusually small. Other objects have occupied their attention. Many of them have families and are under the necessity of laboring to procure the means of support. by the people) Among the many reasons which might be given for the falling off of so many teachers from the schools and turning their attention to other objects two are very prominent 1 st the incompetence of many of the teachers for teaching; 2 d the incompetence of non-pay In all this wide field containing 54 schools for children and as many more for adults there is just one graduate teacher from the Mission Seminary. The remainder for the most part are men of inferior qualifications. These have been picked up here and there and placed over the schools and. taught to live like the chamelion on air if they c-ould not get anything better. If at any time they complained of cold or hunger they have been exhorted to be patient and persevering. But flattery and promises and exhortations will not always succeed in making men work for nothing. "Canst thou bind him with his hand in the furrow, or will �C O PY Report of Hilo Schools for 1839 (Cont'd ) h e harrow the valleys after thee”? Accordingly, more than 50 teachers have left their schools during the past year. Some have been raised to office, some have become land holders, some have left from mere indolence, several have committed crimes, and a few have chosen by the good Brethren either to run before their chariots, or perform other services. In short, they have been made common stock and booty for almost every thing and every body. We know of no class of people who in their circumstances so nearly resemble the JEWS. They are emphatically scattered and peeled. What is greatly needed Is efficient and permanent teach­ ers who shall receive such a-such a support for their services as shall furnish an inducement to devote themselves wholly to teaching. Unless such teachers are obtained the importance heretofore attached by the Nation to Common Schools will be like­ ly to diminish, their interest will abate and their efforts be few and feeble. That which costs nothing is not likely to be greatly valued or valuable. The benefits of schools in order to be appreciated and lasting must equally with our bread be earned by the sweat of the face; otherwise they soon produce satiety, and we complain like Israel "Our soul loatheth this light bread." It is also by giving permanency to the business of the Teachers profession that respect from the people to him and the school as well as real utility from both can be secured. If he come as a teacher to figure a day, and then as a meteor go flitting away, an Ignisfatuus h e ’ll be deemed before long, and become with his school a by-word and song. An effort is now making by the Gov, and some other chiefs to reduce the No. of schools to 16 giving to Hilo 9 and to Puna 7, Also to break up the former system of giving to each school two teachers to alternate in teaching. This of course would break up the school for teachers. The apparent design in carrying this plan into effect is to make the schools larger, to have approved and permanent teachers, and to encourage them by entire exemption from labor on all koele days. The real design it is believed has its origin in selfishness and aims at nothing less nor more than �Report of Hilo Schools for 1889 (Cont'd) securing the labors of the rest who constitute a large majority of the teachers. Should they succeed which we hope they may not it will be giving the death-blow to the schools About past year, 30 school-houses have been built the The adult Sabbath School has been continued. usual N o. of attendants about 70. NOTE ; The foregoing report was unsigned F.V. The �C O P Y R E P O R T OF HILO SCHOOLS (1841 - Wilcox) Soon after our return from last General Meeting I made arrangements for visiting and examining the outstation schools but owing to a severe lameness which commenced about this time I was confined at and near home for which reason that work was committed to native hands. During my lame­ ness which proceeded from boils and lasted 4 months I hobbled once through Hilo & Puna and examined all the schools - those of the former place in Sept. and those of the latter in Nov. The schools have been examined twice only the past year and that before the schools were organized anew under the new laws. In point of Nos. of scholars the examinations were much as in one or 2 of the preceding years. The Teachers' school has been continued only a part of the year Having received nothing for their services as teachers and having had no immunities from government over and above others many of them returned home to their families. Most of the schools however struggled through a feeble existence up to the time of the new organization cheered and urged onward by the hope of better days. It had been for some time known that laws were being made for the benefit of the schools and this tended not a little to keep up the courage of the teachers On receiving the printed school laws the schools were suspended for about a month in order the better to organize anew which we commenced the latter part of Jan. Trustees for the several schools have been appointed and teachers chosen and the schools commenced under favorable auspices There has been a very great increase of scholars. The N o. in many of the schools has more than tripled Some are large enough to employ profitably 4 or 5 teachers. Both teachers and scholars are inspired with new life and courage and we are led to anticipate for them very favorable results. The Station School for children numbers not far from one hun­ dred scholars This was about the n o. the first of April but a considerable accession has since been made to the school. I have had 2 and 3 native assistants to labor with me in the school. A great part of the time I have had a select school tho’ I have had the superintendence of the Whole school generally The scholars are taught the usual branches of school education such as reading writing geography arithmetic Scripture and natural history &c. They have made considerable proficiency. In the out-station schools reading and writing geography and arithmetic have been generally attended to. It is our design to resume the Teachers school so soon as practicable. �C O P Y R E P O R T OF HILO SCHOOLS All the children in the field under the age of 18 years are enrolled along with their parents; and each teacher keeps a register of all the names of all persons in his own district. These are so arranged that with a glance at the register the parent or guardian of any child can be known. Land for only a part of the teachers has been obtained. I am not aware that any of the people have been called out to work for the teachers They may have been however quite recently The support of teachers for the first year is expected to be by a direct tax Wages vary from 2 1/2 to 5 dollars per month according to the worth of teacher. I regret that since the new laws have taken effect ill health in my family has prevented me from visiting many of the out-station schools in person still I have been able to do much towards starting them by visiting those near and by hav­ ing the committees and teachers of the more remote visit me at the station Brother Goan has both at the Station and during his pastoral visits abroad has assisted much in remodelling the schools for which he has my sincere and hearty thanks. Mrs. Wilcox a part of the year has had a sewing school for girls A Bible class for adults I have continued through the year (UNSIGNED) N o. of Children in Station School - - - - - - No. in all the schools N o. of Children’s Schools No. Teachers about 6 - - - 100 2500 0 120 All prosperous and growing (UNSIGNED) (The original MSS. is inscribed on the reverse side :- ) "Hilo - Mr.Wilcox Report 1 8 4 1 ." �Pastoral Report of Hilo Station for the year ending May 1st 1840 In recording the history of the Redeemer’s Kingdom at Hilo for the past year, all praise is due to the Great Head of the Chh, for his continued kindness. all the year. saken her. His care has been over his people through Zion has not been in solitude. God has not forgotten her. His grace has abounded. Her Lord has not for­ His Spirit has descended. He has not left himself without witness of his saving love. The influences of his Spirit have not been at all times equally diffused over all parts of this field, but, at no time have they been withdrawn from our borders. While signs of spiritual dearth were appearing in one part of the field another portion of it was teeming with life & beauty. W hile one division of the army has appeared inactive or ready to flee another division has gone forth to the fight & carried its conquests to the gates of death. God has made steady & sure progress. In short the word of Its triumphant power has been felt in many hearts, & converts have been multiplied. There has been less of physical excitement - less of agitating, overwhelming feeling than was the ease during the preceding year, but there has been no time when solemn, anxious, & trembling sinners were not found in many parts of the field; no week when souls were not hopefully born of God, and no time when many toiling, wrestling, prevailing princes were not found at the throne of Grace. The Chh. as a body, has been stable & peaceful. few have fallen Into scandalous (!) sins. branches of the Living Vine. Comparatively Many appear like living They grow in grace. They bear fruit �Hilo 1840 with patience. 2. They are instant in prayer, strong in faith, always abounding in the work of the Lord. Of some we stand in doubt. They may be trees without fruit to be cut down or plucked up by the roots. "The day will reveal them." &, like all the wicked they will be brought forth unto wrath. About 1500 candidates have been received to the Chh. during the past year. None of these have been received without rigid examination & all the precaution the nature of the case would admit. have been candidates for more than a year. Some of them Others for six month(s) & others for three months during which time they were repeatedly seen, examined, instructed, watched etc. None but the aged & feeble have been received who were not able to read & who had not some part of the Scriptures in their hands. One Protracted Meeting has been held at the Station, and several others at out Stations, during the year. All these meetings have been attended by the presence & power of God’s Spirit. They have aroused the sleeping, quickened saints, shaken dry bones & led sinners to the cross. About one third of the year has been devoted to itinerating among the people. Six separate tours have been made, viz. three in Hilo & three in Puna, besides one through Hamakua & Waimea to attend a protracted meeting in Kohala. These labors have been richly rewarded in the ingathering of souls, & in the edifying of the body of Christ. At such seasons, the disciples have been all collected in their res­ pective villages, their names called & their manner of living made the subject of inquiry etc. etc. In this way the Pastor secures three personal interviews with each member of his flock annually, be- �Hilo 1840 sides collected & incidental meetings. This labor has cost much time and care, but it brings an hundred-fold reward. connecting chain between pastor & flock. 5. It is the great It gives a direct & immediate knowledge of the location, circumstances, standing etc. of every in­ dividual, & it furnishes an occasion for administering such counsel, refroof, correction, instruction etc as the ease of each may require. Once in three months the whole chh. or, all who are able & disposed to come, are assembled at the station to eat the Lord’s Supper. The Word has been preached in season & out of season. No efforts have been spared to carry it to every hamlet, to every cottage & to every heart. times a week. The ordinary preaching at the Station is from 5 to 7 On tours & on special occasions it is from 20 to 30 times. Bro. L. has usually preached once on the Sabbath, & he & Bro. W. have rendered much timely aid by maintaining the regular meeting at the Station during the Pastor’s absence on tours. The regular congregation at the Station is now much smaller than it was one year ago & for obvious reasons. During the times of the highest excitement among the people a large part of the population of Hilo & Puna, besides great numbers of strangers from Kau & other regions, visited the Station, most of them spending many months or perhaps a whole year there. Thus thousands of strangers were often present at the Station at the same time, & for about two years our congregations on the Sabbath were 4000 or 5000. things could not be permanent. But this state of The nature of the case forbids it. The people must return to their houses & lands. They were ordered to return by their chiefs & they were encouraged to return by their teachers. This of course reduced the congregation at the Station. �Hilo 1840 4. It now consists of permanent residents & usually numbers 2000 or 3000. On communion seasons & special occasions it is still immense. At present we are suffering no little inconvenience in the loss of our meeting house "by the wind. The house we now meet in is "but an indif­ ferent shelter from the rain and threatens to fall before every blast. This tends greatly to diminish the attendance on public worship, es­ pecially when there is wind or rain. We hope soon to commence a new meetinghouse - perhaps of stone. Sixteen separate congregations assemble regularly on the Sabbath at out posts in Hilo & Puna. less than 6000 attendants. These congregations number in all not The meetings are conducted by native helpers, and generally with acceptance & profit. In all the villages and hamlets of the people social prayer meetings are held every morning at day light. Besides these several other social meetings are held during the week. This latter class of meetings would probably amount to 50 or 60 in number. Six new meeting-houses, of sufficient capacity to accommodate from 1000 to 2000 each, have been built by the people in Hilo & Puna. Be­ sides these 15 or 20 houses have been built for the accommodation of schools & meetings. This latter class of houses will contain from 200 to 1000 people each. �Hilo 1840 5 Statistical Table Whole number received to Chh. on Examination............ 7463 Whole number on certificate........ .................. Received the past year on Examination.......... . 77 1499 Received past year on certificate........ .. 58 Whole number received the past year . ...................1557 Whole number dismissed to other c h u r c h e s .............. 84 Dismissed the past y e a r ................ ............... 54 Whole number deceased . . . . . . . . . . . . . ........ 268 Deceased the past year ...................... 213 Suspended the past year • 147 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Remain suspended......... .. ....................... .. Whole number excommunicated . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135 43 8 Excommunicated the past y e a r .......... .. Remain excommunicated . . . .......................... 25 Whole number in regular standing 7028 Whole number of children Baptized . . . . . . . . . . . . 2316 Baptized the past year .............................. .. Whole number of baptized children deceased . . . . . [no figure] Deceased the past year . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Marriages the past y e a r .......... ............. . . . Average congregation ........................ 707 11 192 2000 to 3000 The contributions of the people to benevolent objects, in labor, food, fuel, arrow root, kapa etc, would probably amount to 500 dollars. A large share of this has been devoted to the support of Mrs. C's Boarding School, Some has been appropriated to the Board ing School for boys, some to teachers, & to other benevolent objects �Hilo 1840 6. There are also many patches of kalo & potatoes now -under cultivation in different parts of Hilo & Puna. When this food is mature it will he devoted to schools or to other benevolent purposes as the people shall direct. In addition to the above a plantation of sugar cane, the product of Monthly Concert labor, has recently been manufactured producing in all about 5400 lbs of sugar and 400 gallons of molasses besides cane sufficient to produce several hundred pounds of sugar eaten in its raw state. The profits of this plantation are appropria­ ted to Bro. L 's Boarding School. The cheerfulness with which the people labor & contribute on monthly concert days is truly encouraging & could the labor of the chh. in Hilo & Puna be properly superintended & made available, it might amount to 5000 dollars annually, as well as to 500. But this cannot be at present. Planting of sugar cane would be the most productive labor in which they could at present engage, but as most of the people are at a great distance from a sugar mill, they are of necessity cut off from this source of action, and as they have nothing of value to contribute, & as their labor turns to little or no account therefore the amount realized for benevolent objects is as the widow’s two mites. In temporal comforts, many of the people, especially at & near the Station, are rapidly improving. I think it is within the bounds of moderation to say that there is ten fold more commerce & tenfold more cloth among the natives of Hilo than there was four years ago. Two stores are now established at Hilo & three sugar mills are in successful operation there. Sugar cane is being planted to a consider able extent in the vicinity of the mills. There is an increasing demand for native labor, the price of labor is increasing, trade is more brisk, business of all kinds takes a more decided & tangible �7 Hilo 1840 form, and many of the people are approximating to industry & competence. Calls for the Scriptures, especially for the New Testament & for the 2 d vol. of the old, & also for hymns, have been much more numerous than we could meet. We have not had a sufficient number of copies to supply the demand, & many who have come to us for the word of life have been sent away empty handed. Mrs. C’s Boarding School for girls has been greatly prospered through the year. Health & happiness have pervaded ( !) the School. None of the children have died & none have been dangerously ill. The pupils still appear affectionate, amiable & docile. The government of the School is easy, and the improvement of the little girls in Knowledge & manners is very gratifying. Besides the regular studies of the school much effort has been made to instruct the girls in various branches of useful industry. During the last seven months they have made 30 shirts, several pairs of pantaloons, a number of jackets & 50 garments for themselves. They have also commenced braiding the palm leaf, and they have been instructed by rotation in miscellaneous house work under the direction of Mrs. C . One native teacher is em­ ployed to assist in the instruction of the school, and another native and his wife live in the school house, eat with the girls, assist in directing their labors, & acts as subordinate Kahus under Mrs. C ’s direction. The number of scholars is twenty two, and the school is sustained by the voluntary contributions of the Chh. Fourteen of the little girls are numbered among the Lambs of Christ’s visible fold, & some others give hopeful evidence of piety. The Spirit of the Lord has not been taken from the school during the year. Seriousness & tenderness have prevailed among the pupils in a greater or less degree �8 Hilo 1840 at all times. In short we are called upon to thank God & take courage for all his goodness to us & to his people. True, we still see much around us & much in the Chh. which pains & afflicts our hearts. Many things remain over Which we sigh & for the extermination of which we labor & pray. Poverty, indolence, deceit, oppression, stupidity, pollution etc are not yet removed forever from our borders. They are enemies of sterner stuff than to yield to one onset or die at a single blow. They still claim a lodgment in the Chh. & among the people. They are stubborn foes which war against the soul and struggle hard to hold it as a citadel. But these enemies must be met by truth & faith & patience, by love & by prayer, or in other words, by "the whole armor of God, the armor of righteousness." people & from the heart. standard against them. The Spirit of the Lord already lifts up a The Lord gives power to his word. his strength perfect in weakness. He has done great things for us. His arm is not shortened. the work of his hands* He makes He brings light out of darkness, order out of chaos, life out of death. He will do greater. They can be dislodged from the He will not forsake He is able to subdue all things to himself by Jesus Christ to whom be glory & dominion forever. Titus Coan. Pastor of the Chh. at Hilo �Hilo [1841] Pastoral Report from May 1st 1840 to May 1st 1841_____________ On our return from the last Gen. Meet, of this Mission we found that a spiritual declension had taken place In the Chh. The devil had availed himself of this interim (! ) in our labors to sow tares & to stupefy the minds of many. A more general apathy seemed to prevail than we had seen since the commencement of the great work of grace in 1837. Numbers had fallen to smoking, & some into other sins, while the love of many had waxed cold. The greater part, however, of the disciples maintained a regular Christian walk & many were still some­ what active in the work of the Lord. Tours were soon made through Hilo & Puna, the roll of the Chh. was called & efforts were made to ascertain the state of mind & the true standing of each professor. In most villages there was no outbreaking sin & a good degree of harmony & quiet prevailed. rebellion. Still many were asleep & some were in open But the most painful feature of the Chh. & that which most betokened evil w a s .the loss of spiritual unction, or the want of vitality In religion - the absence of that vivid perception of eternal things - that fear of God - that fervency & prevalence in prayer & that trembling under the word of the Lord which had been so manifest for the three preceding ( !) years. These facts gave evidence of spiritual decline & called for humiliation before God & for renewed energy in his work. Efforts were made to bring the guilty to repen­ tance, to arouse the slumbering & to lead all in the upward path. good degree of success attended these labors. A Some of the hardened were brought to repentance, many were quickened, and some who had always resisted the Holy Ghost were brought to submit to the Lord Jesus. �Hilo 2 1841 Two features of the work at Hilo have been more fully developed during the past year than ever before, and these developments, while painful in some of their aspects, have, on the whole, only strength­ ened our convictions of the power & progress of truth among the people. The first feature alluded to, is the fact that there now appears to be a more general disposition to acknowledge certain secret sins than ever before. I allude more particularly to drinking smoking & the like indulgences into which the people so readily fall. During the past year I have rarely found a person who had been guilty of these things attempting to deny it when plainly questioned on the subject, although many who confessed were far from repenting or reforming. Still the fact shows that the guilty begin to feel that attempts to conceal their hypocrisy are useless, & that they may as well confess at once & throw out their crimes to the light as to endeavor at concealment under the scorching rays of truth & the repeated personal examinations they are called to undergo. They can find no dark place where to hide themselves & where their sins will not find them out. It is therefore evident that the proportion of those who practice secretly some of these besetting sins, Is far less than during preceding ( !) years. We therefore hope that we (?) are returning to discern between the righteous & the wicked. The Second fact which I would mention as more fully developing itself during the past year is this. There has been a more decided disposition among the people to choose Masters. The line dividing light & darkness, heaven & hell has been distinctly seen. Novelty in religion & the fervor of animal excitement have subsided & the people have been brought to reconsider their former resolutions & impressions, �Hilo 3 1841 and, while many have as we believe, chosen life, others have as de~ cidely chosen the way of death. Some, however, who for a time seemed apostates, determined in rebellion, have been arrested by the arm of the Almighty & brought to repentance. Thus the Lord has carried for­ ward his work, not precisely under the same visible forms as in prec e d i n g ( !) years, but with the same infallible certainty, and tending to the same final results. I would not be understood in these remarks to affirm that the character of this Chh. is fully developed and that all its members will be comprehended in the two named classes of decidedly pious & openly vicious. There is, as in all Churches, a large middle class between the two extremes, of whom we stand in doubt. But after extended & careful observation, & after making all suitable deductions for the wayward & the doubtful, it is still most manifest that God has wrought a great & glorious work in Hilo & Puna. Thousands might now be selected from the ranks of the Chh. over whom we rejoice with great confidence & hope as the workmanship of the Spirit - created anew in Christ Jesus. Had we never counted any converts except those who have hitherto run well, still our hearts would be filled with un­ bounded joy at the magnitude of the work; and shall that joy cease to thrill our souls because some have fallen & others give but to dubious evidence of having been purged from their old sins? But the proportion of wanderers in the Chh. at Hilo is not, prob­ ably, greater than in most other Mission Churches, nor is the propor­ tion, as yet, greater among the new converts than among the older professors. Five separate tours through Hilo & Puna, have been made during the past year, all of which were attended with favorable results. On these tours, the whole roll of the Chh. was called & the state of every �Hilo 1841 member of the flock made the subject of inquiry. 4 The wandering were reclaimed, the stupid aroused, saints comforted, sinners converted & the hardened warned of their coming retribution. The general labors at the Station have been such as have often been described in former reports. Much valued aid has been afforded by my associates, and especially during my absence on my repeated tours. Our congregation during the past year has been from various causes, unusually fluctuating, varying from two or three thousand to one thousand. At no time has it been so low & at no time has our spiritual horizon been so dark as during the visit of the Vincennes at our Station. For this whole period of three months, there was a succession & a combination of circumstances & events, which it may not be necessary to name, all tending to divert the minds of a semibarbarous & childish people from the great concerns of the soul and to induce worldliness, dissipation & insensibility to heavenly things. Since the departure of that expedition we have been enabled to pursue our work with fewer obstacles, & a more interesting & hopeful state of things now exists among the people than we have before seen since Gen. Meeting. Our Meeting house which will contain 2500 or 3000 people, is now filled on the Sabbath, and the people generally, throughout the districts of Hilo & Puna, attend meeting on the Sabbath in their respective villages, probably to the number of 7000 or 8000 in all. All our out Stations are now supplied with comfortable meeting houses, but we are still suffering great inconvenience for the want of a good house at the Station. The old crazy house we now occupy forms but an indifferent shelter, & the most prominent effects produced on the congregation In the time of rain & wind are uneasiness & fear. �Hilo 1841 5 But through the blessing of God our prospects on this point are bright­ ening. We have nearly enough timber collected for a substantial framed house, 120 feet by 60. We have also enough subscribed to pay for put­ ting up the frame & carpenters are now at work on the timber. All has been done, thus far, by the voluntary efforts of that part of the Chh. in the near vicinity of the Station, no work having been done by the authority of chiefs, &c. As yet, Popery has not made much visible progress among our people. A native teacher & several Romish disciples from Oahu have been at Hilo through the year. These emissaries all find asylum in the establishment of the Chinamen, & they have not been wanting in zeal & effort to make proselytes to their "father". But their work is in the dark, and, as they hate the light & will not come to it, it is v e r y ( !) difficult to trace them, or to tell to what extent their influence is felt among the people. One thing is most obvious, that whatever ground they gain they gain it, not by truth, but by signs & lying wonders & with all deceivableness of unrighteousness. Only a few have as yet openly avowed their attachment to popery & these are all of a class of hardened & determined sinners who seek a road to heaven more congenial to their feelings than by walking in the truth. On a full & calm review of the providential dealings of God with his people during the past, & on taking into account the infantile state of this Church, the power of former habits & old associations, together with their great and unavoidable destitution of religious & mental culture we have cause for rejoicing gratitude that so many hold on their way rather than of fear & despondency that so many are fickle & that so many fall. Should but one thousand, or 500 even, of this great multitude of professed disciples endure to the end & reach heaven, �Hilo 6 1841 there will be more joy among the angels than mortal tongue can express: and shall there not be correspondent joy & correspondent sym­ pathy on earth? Nearly 600 of this Chh. have already, as we trust, died in the Lord, more than 300 of whom have departed during the past year. Over these we rejoice, for we [trust] that many, if not all of them, have gone to swell the song of heaven. morning of glory has dawned. royal robes. Their might is past - Their Their filthy garments are exchanged for Their feeble faith is turned to overpowering sight. Thus we hope & thus we profess to believe. Then who shall forbid our joy? our heavenly sympathies? Who shall check the full tide of Who shall restrain our songs of triumphant praise to Him whose unsearchable love is bringing many sons unto glory even from among the polluted & debased children of Hawaii, What will be our report for the next year is known only to Him who rules in the armies of heaven or does his pleasure among the Inhabitants of earth. To my mind one thing is certain, that things will not remain station­ ary nor events be hereafter monotonous. However long the Hawaiian intellect may have slumbered, there are causes now in operation to remove Its torpor, & moral movements will be rapid, either for good or evil. At Hilo the whole mass of mind & the whole structure of society is being revolutionized. Old things are passing away & new notions & habits, not perhaps always for the better, are gaining ground, and so rapid & great are the changes that the events, or evolutions of each successive year seem to bear little resemblance to preceding ( !) ones. Like the physical convulsions produced by the internal fires of Hawaii, so are these mighty political & moral agencies constantly in operation �Hilo 1841 7. and evolving a new series of phenomena in quick succession. But God’s hand is in all; and our prayer is that he will overturn & over­ turn until the Kingdom shall be given to his Son. Mrs. Coan’s Boarding School has been continued through the year ■with encouraging ( !) success. As formerly, it has been supplied with food by the voluntary contributions of the people. prosperity have attended the school. its commencement to the present time. Health & No death has occurred in it since We are intending to put up a new building for the school this season, as the old one is quite un­ comfortable. Statistics. Whole no. ad. to Chh. on Examination - - - - - - - Do on Certificate - - - - - Past year on Ex. - - - - - - - - - - - - Do on certificate - - - - - - Whole no. past year - - - - - - - Whole no. died to other Churches . -- - 91 -- - - - 154 -- - - - - - - 14 ---------- -- 168 149 Dismissd ( !) past year - - ■ -- ------------------ Whole no. deceased - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Died past year - - - - - - - - - - - 7617 - 65 584 - - - - - - - 316 Suspended past year ---- ------------------- - — 670 Remain Suspended - - - - - - - - - - ------------- 553 Whole no. Excommunicated - - - - - 43 ------ Remain Excomd Now in regular standing - - - - - - - - - - - - 20 - - 6402 Whole no. of Children baptized - - - - - - - - - - 2474 Baptized past year - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 108 �Hilo 1841 8 Baptized Child died past year - - - - 135 Marriages past year — 144 Av. Cong. on Sabbath - - - - - - - - 1500 Besides those reported above as under Chh. censure, there are some others who are reported to me as having violated the rules of the Chh. but who, through sickness or absence, have not undergone a formal examination. They are not therefore counted with the sus­ pended as they cannot be condemned without trial. The foregoing report is respectfully submitted to the Sand. Isl . Mission by Titus Coan Pastor of the Chh. at Hilo. �Pastoral Report etc. for Hilo. To the Moderator of Gen. Meeting) ) of Sand. Isl. Mission for 1842 ) My Dear Brother, As the variety & pressure of my present labors seem to indicate that it is not my duty to attend gen. Meet this year, you will permit me, through you, to pre­ sent to the Meeting a very brief report for the year ending April 30, 1842. A brief outline of labors etc. together with statistics of the church, will be all I shall attempt to present. Detail might be both tedious & unnecessary. And first we would present our thank offering to God for almost uninterrupted health & for ten-thousand temporal & spirit­ ual blessings during the past year. Although there have been much worldliness & much stupidity in the Chh. yet there has been comparatively little outbreaking sin. The numbers of those who have fallen under church censure have been nearly five sixth less than they were during the year previous to my last annual report. While we acknowledge a pain­ ful degree of spiritual apathy, especially at the Station where temptations to sin ape more numerous , still there have been, even here, many devoted disciples who have adorned their profession & shed light around them. In Puna, meetings have been well maintained & the Church has stood with remarkable firmness, the proportion of suspended members being as one to 40 or nearly; and most of these are old cases, scarcely any new ones having occurred during the past year. �2 Hilo 1842 No general & powerful revival can be reported, though, the number of hopeful conversions has not been small when we take into account the comparatively few who had not previously professed faith in Christ. Among those who have been brought in during the past year are many who had hitherto been considered as most harden­ ed resisters of the Spirit & of the truth. Popish priests are frequently among the people of Hilo, and popery has been waging a relentless war upon us during the year, but as yet, through the mercy of God, its conquests, so far as we can learn, have not been rapid, & certainly not glorious. A con­ siderable number (how many I cannot learn) have, however, followed that “strong delusion"; but they are of the number who have always said "to God depart from us." A few are apostate Church members. None of "the sheep" have perished. "They know not the voice of strangers." At the Station we have suffered great inconvenience for the want of a commodious meeting house, our old house, while standing, affording little shelter from the rain & driving all from it in time of wind. At length it fell, since which time we have had no place to meet in except Bro. Lyman’s School house which accommodates about 600. We have also had great rains the past year, especially during the latter half of it. Probably more water has fallen during the past year than during any two previous years since our residence at this Station. (!) These rains, together with swollen & raging rivers have rendered it difficult & often impossible for the people gen­ erally to assemble on the Sabbath; consequently our congregation, �Hilo 1842 5 much of the time, has been unusually small, although it has been full during some part of the year. The languid state of religious affection, has, doubtles s, ( !) - as it always has, - had much influ­ ence in diminishing the congregation. Still, amidst all the ad­ verse circumstances of the past year we could hardly expect an average congregation of a thousand, even in a community of 5000 souls who might be strictly styled a church going people. As I learn that some have questioned the correctness of my former statistics relative to this congregation, I shall here de­ cline giving any opinion as to its average for the past year - as opinion is all we any of us give - and shall allow myself only to say that I judge its range to have been from 400 to 2000. Besides the congregation at the Station there are 20 worship­ ing assemblies on the Sabbath in Hilo & Puna. These have been well attended through this year, except where interrupted by rains etc. Reckoning these congregations with the one at the Station it is probable that the whole number of regular attendants on public worship in this field cannot be less than 8000 or 9000. By the help of the Lord I have made six tours during the year all of which have been attended with happy results in quickening & confirming the people of God, in reclaiming backsliders & wander­ ers and in bringing sinners to the cross of Christ. During eight months of the year, while Mr. Wilcox was absent from the Station, the common schools were all on my hands, and these together with the medical wants of the people have pressed heavily . on me and consumed no little of my time, both at the Station & on my tours. My publick ( !) labors on the Sabbath have usually been as �Hilo as follows. 4 1842 At 8 A.M. Sab. School for children. This has been well sustained & has embraced 500 or 600 children in all. A.M. preaching. At 12 a meeting for inquirers etc. At 10 At 2 P.M. preaching - and for some part of the time a bible class or lecture at 4 P.M. Our regular weekly meetings have been, a lecture on Wednesday, one for children on Friday, and a chh. lecture on Saturday. Funer­ als, occasional meetings, pastoral visitations, attendance on the Sick, calls etc, together with numberless & nameless interruptions have so engrossed my time that I could never call an hour my own. The Monthly Concert has been sustained through the year and the people have contributed in food, fish, labor and other things to sustain the little school of Mrs. Coan & for other benevolent objects. For several months Mrs. C ’s Boarding School was suspended In order to re-build the School house. During this time girls expressed a strong desire for the re-commencement of the School. They were also very anxious to be employed in sewing or in some other way during the long vacation. Our new sch. house, through the failure of the contractor, not being completed so early as we expected [,] Mrs. C. assembled her school daily & taught them in a work shop, providing lodgings for them at night among the best families in the neighborhood. They now assemble in the new. School house which is framed, floored in part, glazed & covered with thatch. It is 50 feet long & 25 wide, and with yards, fixtures etc will cost something more than $200.00. The expense will be defrayed by con­ tributions of the Chh; by the generous donations of friends and by our own individual exertions. �Hilo 1842 5. The girls are now employed 8 hours daily in study & labor. Their progress is pleasing, their health fine & their spirits cheer­ ful. No one has died & there has been but one case of serious illness in the School during the 3 1/2 years it has been in operation. The age to which the pupils have now arrived and their Increased liability to temptation render increasing watchfulness on the part of the teacher necessary; but we trust they will be kept through grace & that our labor will [not] be in vain on their behalf. Our new meeting house is raised & nearly covered. Should the Lord prosper us we expect to dedicate it before the close of Gen* Meeting. all sides. It is a substantial frame 120 feet by 60 with a veranda on All the work has been done by the natives except a little superintendence of the framing by a Chinaman, A subscrip­ tion of about 600 dollars has also been raised in the Chh. for the payment of the carpenters & to defray other expenses. Finally; though we have had many trials during the past year, yet our mercies have much more abounded. Our progress has been up hill & therefore laborious; but it has been onward. We have been conversant with "fightings” & "fears", but the Lord has sustained. Though there is defection & stupidity here, still we believe, & that as firmly as ever, that God has done great things for us, that his work has been glorious, & that thousands have been converted in this field who yet stand fast & who will forever stand the monuments of redeeming Grace to swell the song of heaven. As it was not my design to be prolix or to enter much into detail In this communication, I have said all which seems to be necessary to give a general view of my labors during the past year �Hilo 6 1842 & of the present state & prospects of the Chh. & people of this field. My statistics you will see on the opposite page. My heart & my prayers shall be with you in your deliberations. And may the God of love & peace bf with you. wisdom wh. is from above." mission. May you have "the The Lord give unity & power to this The Lord so guide us that we shall neither stumble in judgment nor faint in action. Statistics Whole number received to Chh. on Examination 7890 Do Do on Certificate 128 Past year on Examination 273 ........... . 37 Do on Certificate Whole number the past year 310 Whole number dismissed to other churches 179 Dismissed the past year ........................ 30 Whole number deceased 833 Deceased the past year 249 Suspended the past year . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125 Remain suspended . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 450 Excommunicated the past year none Remain Excommunicated . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Whole number in regular Standing 6536 Whole number of children Baptized 2600 Baptized the past year ............ . 126 Baptized children dead N ot known Died the past year 23 Marriages the past year . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102 Respectfully submitted Titus Coan Past. of Chh. at Hilo �A. WILCOX'S REPORT Off HILO & PUNA SCHOOLS. 184 2 . In reviewing the past year we have great cause for gratitude to Cod for his tender mercies towards us. H e has spared our lives blended health with sickness stayed his rough wind in the day of the east wind - brought back wander­ ers and sojourners in a distant isle and caused us once more to dwell in a peaceable habitation, in sure dwellings and in quiet resting places. After the close of the last Gen. Meeting ill health detained us at Honolulu until the 9th of Nov. During this time I taught school 2 months. Nov, 9th we embarked on the Schooner Hawaii to return to Hilo. On the 12th touched at Lahaina where we remained 6 or 7 hours and then proceed­ ed on our voyage. We experienced something of a gale of wind and made little headway after the 13th. we seemed to be in great danger, besides, all our provisions failed except a few potatoes. On these we lived till fuel failed also - the sea was very stormy - the rigging several times parted and having at length no further means of repairing it, we put back to Mahu Kona where we landed on the Sat., the 20th of Nov. Thence we proceeded with much weakness by land on our way home which we reached on the 9th of Dec. - a full calendar month from the time we left Oahu, She schooner left Mahu Kona the same day and reached Hilo on the very day of our arrival. We found the schools in operation and doing pretty well. Bro. Coan had looked after them some and examined them in July. In a little more than a week from the time. of reaching home I started on a tour thro’ Puna to examine schools, Bro. Coan accompanied me on a preaching tour. I have just performed another tour through the whole field alone. Since our return from Oahu I have spent 36 days in examining schools, I include however the Sabbaths I spent during the tour and one or 2 days in going to or returning from distant parts of the field on these tours. The schools are more than usually prosperous. The no. of children in them is much larger than at any former period since I have been at the islands. The n o . of readers the past year has been greatly increased several hundreds above what it was last year. In mental and written Arithmetic very good progress has been made and so far as the means have been possessed, in Geography also. But as for maps, there are not half a dozen in the whole field. Teachers and pupils are clamorous for them. But truly in vain are they hoped for from the hills of Lahainaluna. I have had a school for teachers as in years past - the no. �COPY -2- A. Wilcox’s Report of Hilo & Puna Schools - 1842 (Cont’d) of scholars 36. I hare also had an adult Sabbath, school which has not averaged more than 35 or 40 scholars. The labor of distributing school books has been consider­ able besides attending to numerous little wants of the teachers. The bible has not been called for except by teachers - and they expected it as a free gift. There may have been 2 or 3 exceptions to this. STATISTICAL TABLE OF SCHOOLS IN HILO The present No. of children in No. of Readers is Whole number of boys in school Whole No . of girls in school Ho, in Helu Naau is Scholars in Written Arithmetic Scholars in Helu Kamalii No. of writers the schools is & PUNA . - - - 2658 1474 is - - — - - - - - - - -. 1392 - - - — -- --- 1266 -----994 or Hope Helu -— - - - - 269 -974 --------------------------------------------------------------------735 The No. of schools who study geography is - - - 267 and might be 1500 could we obtain maps Of those who wear more or less cloth there are 1727 Of those who have joined the Catholics there are - 10 The Whole number of teachers is - - - - - - -- 100 The No. of salaried teachers the past year is -— - 78 Whose united salaries form an aggregate of — - - - -490 dolls. She above sum is the Remaining King’s debt of which sum there have been paid uncancelled Whole No. of schools in Hilo & 166 doll - - - - - - - - - - - 54 Puna Of examinations the past year there have been No. of children in the Station School is No . of scholars in the Teachers’ School is 324 dol. - - - — — - — - -------- 3 110 36 �Pastoral Report of Hilo & Puna for the year ending May 1st 1843 The past year, has, on the whole, been a year of peace & prosperity to that portion of Zion contemplated in this report. Although the common vicissitudes of reviving & languishing, have marked the different portions of this Chh. and although many things calling for mourning & humiliation, have been witnessed, still, the march of truth & of light, has been onward. Our glorious Lord has not left himself without witness of his gracious presence, & his saving love. Seasons of repenting have been felt in many parts of the field - Saints have been quickened & sinners converted. In some villages of Hilo & Puna the members of the Chh. have stood fast, almost to a man - their meetings have been well attended and a peaceful & heavenly influence has been shed on the people around. In other places, there has been more of stupidity, worldliness & wandering from the path of life. Still, the whole aspect of the Chh. and of the people, has been more encouraging than during the year ending May 1842. Weekly meetings of inquiry have been held at the Station & well attended. Besides the regular labors of the Sabbath, lectures have been delivered on three days of each week. The Monthly Concert has also been observed & several protracted meetings attended at the Station & in different parts of the field. These have all been blessed, and attended with happy fruits. Our new Meeting-house has been completed & on the 8th of June it was dedicated to the service of Almighty God. It is a substan­ tial & commodious building adding greatly to our comfort and amply rewarding us for the severe toil it cost us. Our Sabbath School �2. of children, has been prosperous through the year. It has embraced 400 or 500 children, many of whom, have given pleasing evidence of conversion to God. These children have also been assembled every Friday to attend to a lecture from the Scriptures. On no depart­ ment of our labors, has the grace of God more evidently rested than on our efforts to enlighten & save the rising generation. Six different tours have been performed in Hilo & Puna during the past year. These tours have been blessed to the conversion of sinners and "to the edifying of the body of Christ." On these tours the names of all have been called and the state of each Indi­ vidual of the flock enquired after. Besides the stated meetings at the Station 27 distinct congregations are assembled on the Sab­ bath at different places in Hilo & Puna, & more than twice that number of social prayer meetings are held at intervals during the week* These meetings are conducted by the more pious & discreet members of the Chh. and in many cases they have been much blessed. During the past year the people of Hilo have contributed about 400 dollars to pay for the erection &c of the new meetinghouse, besides a considerable amount in labor for the support of the female boarding school. Cases of discipline have not been, comparatively, numerous during the past year, and of those formerly under discipline ( !), some have returned & some still remain as they were. Death Is fast removing the members of this chh. from these earthly scenes to the presence of their Judge & to their final reward. Three hundred & twenty have been called away during the past year, & more than 1100 during the 4 years past. ing in the Chh. Most of these have died in good stand­ How many of them have gone to swell the song of �Hilo 3. 1843 the redeemed, is known only to him who renders to every man ac­ cording to his works. If one half of them have reached heaven, the efforts to save them, have met with glorious & unmerited reward. But the rapid removal of the present generation is calculated to admonish the pastor that whatever he does for the members of his flock must be done speedily. Three hundred and 31 have been added to the Chh. by profession during the year, and a considerable- number of others stand as can­ didates. Little, or no success has attended the efforts of the papists in this field, though constant & untiring efforts, have been made on their part through, the year. Besides a numerous and vigor­ ous native agency employed in all parts of Hilo & Puna, 3 or 4 Priests have made frequent tours through the two districts, to draw away disciples after them. Their methods of deceiving & enticing the people are well known & need not be mentioned by me. Bone, however, but those out of the chh. & those chh. members who had fallen into sin, have gone after them. Their cause, however, constantly vacillates - for while some join them others leave them. But one thing is most manifest, that nothing but the Spirit of God can lift up an effectual standard against the all flooding enemy. The pastor would here express his grateful acknowledgements for the very acceptable assistance of several Brethren from other Stations, who have spent some time at Hilo during the past year; as also for the kind aid of his respected associates during his seasons of absence on tours, and at other times. The little domestic School, under the care of Mrs. Coan, has been in successful operation during most of the year. Since Jan., however, it has been suspended, on account of the feeble state of �Hilo Mrs. C's health. 4. 1843 The pupils, have made commendable proficiency in the various branches to which they have attended, and the state & prospects of the School are encouraging. Health & happiness have attended the School from its commencement. has, as yet, died. Not one of the pupils The number of scholars is 22 , 18 of whom are members of the Church. The School has been sustained, as it re­ spects its pecuniary wants, by the contributions of natives, the generous donations of friends, & our own personal efforts. Allow me to say, in conclusion, that this report embraces only a brief and general outline of the labors & events of the past year. The detail would be tedious, and it is unnecessary, inasmuch as the nameless & numberless cares & labors of one individual of this mission are the cares & labors common to most or all of the members. Great & manifold blessings, temporal & Spiritual, have, however, crowned the year, calling for devout thanksgiving to God. Our afflictions have been "light" - our consolations abundant. In view of all that is past we write Ebenezer, and we will engrave Jehovah-jirah on all that is future. �Hilo 1843 Statistics Whole No. received to Chh. on Examination ---- - - - - 8221 Do P Do Do Do a on Certificate 170 st year on Examination ---- -- 331 on Certificate Whole number the past year - - - - - - - - - - - -- -- 373 Whole no* dismissed to other Churches 280 Dismissed the past year - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 101 Whole No* deceased 1153 Deceased the past y e a r - -- - - - 320 Suspended the past year 138 Remain suspended - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Excommunicated the past year Whole number Excommunicated 50 - - - - - - - - - - - - Remain Excommunicated 93 65 Whole number in regular standing - - - ---- - - Whole No. of children baptized Baptized the past year 520 6373 2720 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Whole number of children deceased 120 102 Deceased the past year 33 Marriages the past year - - - - - - - - - - - _ Congregation on the Sabbath 123 1500 Titus Coan, Pastor. �Report of Hilo & Puna Schools Hilo April 1843 [Wilcox] During the past year, the blessing of health has been con­ ferred in an unusual degree on my family; for which, as well as for other blessings, devout gratitude is due to the Almighty Giver. In consequence of exemption from sickness I have been enabled with less interruption and with more vigor to prosecute my labors for the Schools, School for Teachers This has been continued through the year and has embraced not only teachers but promising lads and young men designing to qual­ ify themselves for teaching. The year has 'been divided into two terms of six months each at the expiration of which those who had schools have returned to teach and their associate teachers who had in the meantime been engaged in teaching have taken their places as pupils in school. The No. enrolled for the first term was about 45 and that for the last six months about eighty. Yet taking one day with another for the last term the average number has only been about 45. This has been owing to several causes. First, The coming to­ gether of so many individuals from all parts of a district one hun­ dred miles in length unavoidably throws many of them among strangers and where with nothing but the tact and providence of Hawaiians they can have no regular supplies of food. Some have gone a whole day as I afterwards learned without food and others have eaten only once a day. In this way they stand it along till they are sick or driven by the imperious demand of appetite to return home for food. The sick­ ness of their friends at home is another great consumer of their time. Yet notwithstanding all this some have been pretty constant in their attendance and made good improvement. Reading writing Colburn’s Mental & Written Arithmetic and Geography are the branches which have �Hilo & Pima Schools - 1843 been attended to. 2. During the last 6 months (!) Having had no as­ sistant teacher I have found it necessary for the last 6 months to have a forenoon and afternoon school and divide the pupils. I have usually spent 5 hours in school. Station School for Children With this I have had nothing to do in the way of direct teach­ ing but have occasionally as I found time visited and counseled it and attended to its wants. The no. enrolled as pupils is about 130 but for a few weeks past some have fallen off. taught by 3 teachers. This school is The usual branches have been taught and the improvement made is encouraging. Common Schools Of these there are 53; and the no. of children enrolled who have attended more or less through the greater part of the year is great nearl y as many as it was last year:- viz. 2658. For a few weeks past however there has been a decrease of a few hundreds; the causes of which I will mention by-and-by. To the wants of these schools and their teachers I have ministered in the way of giving out books pens slate and lead pencils chalk ink and paper. In the absence of the Kahu I have listened to many of the difficulties and disputes of of ( !) the teachers with the people and endeavored to adjust and settle them. Examinations Of these there have been 3: the first in July & Aug. the 2d in Oct. conducted in Hilo by the 2 Kahus only, and accompanied by me in Puna and the 3d in March and April in which I was assisted by the Agent in Puna only. Including the days spent in going & coming and also Sabbaths I have spent 52 days in examining them. The returns for the last examination are as follows ------------------ �Hilo & Puna Schools - 1843 3. Whole no. of Childrens' Schools in Hilo & Puna is No. of Teachers - - - - - - - No. of Pupils at the time of last examination Of Boys- - - - - - - - Of Girls ---- - - - - Of Readers - - - - - - - - - - - - In Helu Naau - - - - - - - - - - In Helu Kakau - - - - - - - - - In Helu Kamalii In Geography - - - - - - - - - - In Writing - ---- 538 Gone to the Papists - - - - - - - - - - - - - - New School houses built the past year - - - - - - 53 107 1982 1034 948 1335 947 503 758 552 123 42 The Schools we have considered as in a flourishing condition. It is pleasing to contrast their present examinations with those of former years when reading a verse and answering a question each in the Helu Naau or Kamalii, each scholar too, trained to answer his own question only, perhaps, with a little writing and a plenty of pualu made up the sum total. tion comprises a ten-fold increase of recitations. How an examina­ In the Helu Naau some have gone as far as the 11 or 12th chap. and in the Helu Kakau as far as the 8th or 9th. Each School has a black-board and in the process of of ( !) adding subtracting multiplying and dividing many of the children perform with great rapidity and correctness. There is in the schools generally a lack of some books; es­ pecially of the Helu Naau. This is very much needed and called for but I have had but few to give out the past year. Kakau is also needed. More of the Helu Many of the Teachers are quite efficient and advance their schools accordingly. Others are inefficient through ignorance and laziness and whatever pains may be taken to improve them will never know or do much. Our hearts have been pained by the fall of some of the teachers into sin. Eleven of them among whom are 2 graduates of the Seminary and some of the very best teachers have been guilty of a breach of the Seventh Commandment. �Hilo & Puna Schools - 1843 4. This is rather more than one in ten. The yearly feast has been observed by the schools with a good degree of interest. united Ten schools, Including the Teachers, u n i t e d at the Sta­ tion each bearing an appropriate flag and partook of a suitable re­ past in the meeting-house after which several addresses were made and 2 temperance odes sung by the scholars of the Boarding School with good effect. Owing as I am informed to orders given by the Governor the law requiring parents to send their children to school has not been enforced in the case of Catholics. Consequently they have escaped with impunity and the Kahu and Luna Kulas have done little or nothing towards enforcing it in the case of others. How could they adopt two rules for the same offense in two classes of persons? True the parents of Roman Catholic children have been threatened if they did not send their children to school but it was not till recently they fully understood that those threats were not to be carried into ex­ ecution, The ceding of these Islands to Great Britain also operated unfavorably for the schools. The people got the impression that all law was at an end and some left the schools on this account. Another thing -- The Lunaauhau a short time since visited all the schools to take the names of all taxable children. When finding that small heads would go into the list without pinching rather better than large ones he took a goodly number considerably under 14 years of age. Some parents it is said deceived the Tax Officer representing their children as being much older than they were In order that they might be taxed and be at liberty to leave the school and thereby themselves be released from paying the yearly tax of $1.50 towards the support of teachers which the School Agent has imposed on all parents who �Hilo & Puna Schools - 1843 send to school. 5. At the commencement of the last examination the School Agent began a pretty liberal discounting on their heads but before the examination was half through he was taken sick and has continued so ever since on which account many are not released who otherwise would have been. ally left the schools. Those children who are taxed have gener­ Being the largest and most advanced scholars they were the flower of the schools and their departure has made a sad blank. As far as an opportunity has offered they have been urged to pay their taxes and remain in school till 18 years of age. And we hope that many of them may yet be induced to return. These are the principal causes of the late decrease in our schools. In one thing the people have done well. They have the past year built 42 school houses - many of them large. Many of them too have spacious verandas and play grounds - enclosed by a Ki fence which give an air of neatness to the places and render them an In­ viting resort to the pupils. Many School Districts in our own land might to good advantage take a lesson from some of these school houses verandas and yards. The Adult Sabbath School has been continued] much as last year. In July a Sabbath school was commenced in the jail for the prisoners. About 60 attended at first and the no. gradually in­ creased to about 100. Some Interest if not seriousness was manifes­ ted up to the time of the late disgorging of our jails of their in­ mates on account of the suspension of the laws, when most of the prisoners returned home. The school how ever is continued with some 6 or 8 criminals In the vicinity and it is expected that at the close of the prison vacation the school will be large as formerly. ai o ka la and Ui or catechism have been used as text-books Respt. A. Wilcox The �Pastoral Report for Hilo for the year ending May 1, 44. The revolutions of the past year, have evolved nothing re­ markably new or peculiar at Hilo. The common vicissitudes of our missionary career, have been marked by the ceaseless care of a kind Providence. Health & happiness, have cheered us; & the Lord of the vineyard has smiled upon our labors. With devout gratitude to Almighty God, would the Pastor record, that he has been enabled to pursue his labors with vigor through the year, not having been inter­ rupted by sickness or other casualties; Nor has he been separated from the Sanctuary, by ill health, a single Sabbath, since his ar­ rival on these shores . A good degree of peace & prosperity have attended the Chh. during the year, & the march of truth & of righteousness, has been onward. No special defection has taken place among this flock, & the pastor has been permitted to labor with courage, consolation & success. The Holy Spirit has descended on many parts of the field - Saints have been quickened to watch, & labor & pray, and not a few sinners have been hopefully converted to the Lord. Through the power & faithfulness of our Redeemer "the gates of hell have not prevailed against his chh. ened. Temptations have assailed it - trials have threat­ Clouds have thickened & thundered, but Jehovah still reigns, & on the upper surface of the clouds, there is eternal sunshine. The trials arising from the character of the native converts & from the combined force of a thousand adverse external influences, need not be named, as they are matters of common observation & experience with us all. Some of our most painful trials at the Station, arise from the debasing & brutalizing influences of a class of ungodly foreigners. Still we, probably, have as large a share of quiet & �Hilo 1844 2 good order there, as at the other parts of the Islands. The Pastor's labors at the station, have been much as usual. Four, and sometimes 5 public exercises on the Sabbath - including a S. S. for children & a meeting for inquirers &c - and three weekly lectures. In addition to these, are village preaching, funerals, monthly concerts, occasional meetings, pastoral visitations etc etc. The medical wants of the people, also, make heavy drafts on the time of the pastor, and the prospect of relief ( !) from this pressing and responsible service, seems now more dark & distant than it did nine years ago. Eight separate tours, have been performed by the pastor during the past 10 months, viz. 4 in Hilo & 4 in Puna. These tours have been blessed to the edification of the numerous congregations & sections of the chh.. at a distance from the station. These tours are always arduous, & sometimes perilous, from slippery precipices & raging rivers; & there has been occasion, often, to set up an Ebenezer on the banks of a furious stream safely passed, & on the return from many a weary tour. Aside from the station, there are now nearly 30 congregations of from 100 to 500 worshipers, assembled on the Lord's day, in dif­ ferent parts of the parish. These meetings are all conducted by native helpers, & are visited several times annually, by the pastor, for preaching & discipline ( !), & for the administration of the ordinances of the Chh. Many of these congregations, have been blessed with the Spirit's influences, & have enjoyed a happy state of religious interest, during the year. Others of them have been languid. In addition to these local helpers several native evangelists have been employed during a part of the year, the specific. �Hilo 1844 3. duties of whom are, to travel through Hilo & Puna preaching the word in every village, visiting every hamlet & house and holding religious conversation with every individual of every class. They attend funerals, pray with the sick, assist in social meetings etc. etc. usually spending about a week in each village. These labors are an experiment and an experiment gust commenced. ( !) but Thus far, however, they have been attended with happy results, & there is encouragement to pursue the plan still longer. The laborers thus engaged have received moderate wages, & for the ability to remunerate them the pastor is happy to acknow­ ledge his obligations to Bro. Whitney for a generous donation of 50 dollars & to Bro. Cooke for another of 25 dollars. Could means be obtained for continuing these labors we think the results would amply reward the efforts. The plan, you will perceive, is somewhat similar to that of colporteurs, or city missionaries, now so exten­ sively adopted & with such happy success. The pastor would also do injustice to his own feelings not to acknowledge the repeated & kind assistance of his worthy associates, especially in maintaining the regular services of the station during his absence on tours. Another item in our labors is that devoted to foreign residents and visitors. Since our return from the last Gen. Meet. there has been but one month (Dec.) in which foreign Ships have not visited our port, and, consequently, English services have been held on the Sabbath during a large part of the year, besides all the other la­ bors & interruptions incident to the visit of ships to a port like Hilo. With some few exceptions the Masters, Officers & crews of these ships have conducted themselves with propriety & courtesy while conversant with us, & some have received decided &, as we �Hilo 1844 4. trust, permanent religious impressions. As to temperance, we are, for the most part quiet. No li­ cenced grave digger, no legalized hell (?) feeder is recognized in our little community, and yet we have not wanted men who would en­ gage gratuitously in the execrable ( !) work of consuming their fel­ lows. Leaky casks of fiery ruin have been supposed to float upon our shores in the night, and a few vials of wrath have, occasionally been poured out upon some of the foreign roamers of our place. Of the legal proof of the visitations of this burning scourge, we will now say nothing, and only depose that we have sometimes found men "scorched with great heat & blaspheming the God of heaven”. How long will it be ere the vial of the 2d Angel shall have been emptied? If the sea be not literally "like the blood of a dead man", yet the blood of many a dead man mingles with the sea as the fruit of that matchless curse, alcohol. The body of a poor sailor was recently taken from the surf in Hilo & buried, while it is supposed that his soul was ushered sud­ denly & uncalled for into the presence of his Judge in consequence of ardent spirit smuggled on shore by men wishing to be called gen­ tlemen. If every sailor or every living soul; in the sea has not died of this scourge yet multitudes have, & many more will, before that great voice shall be heard out of the temple of heaven, saying "It is done". Popery has done little or nothing in Hilo during the past year. Probably the cause has retrograded. Priests & native agents have been constantly exerting their influence to beguile the people, but with little success. Their great effort is to disorganize the schools & to draw away the rising generation. Their arts of flat­ tery, their menaces, their vain boastings, and their resistance of �Hilo 1844 5. the legal authorities are well known. It is but a few days since, one of their priests gave open & public Instructions to his disci­ ples in Hilo to butcher & hang upon trees all protestant authorities who should attempt to execute the school laws on any of their people p e o p l e who were obnoxious to them. But the Lord will make their wrath to praise him. One new meeting house of rough stone, has been built in Puna during the past year, of sufficient dimensions to contain a 1000 people, and another somewhat larger is commenced in another section of the same district. (Footnote:) A smaller one is com­ menced at an outpost in Hilo, & a thatched meeting house of suf­ ficient capacity to contain 1500 people is now being re-thatched. On the first Monday in each month the people in Hilo & Puna contribute for benevolent objects. Their donations are in labor, fuel, food, fish, pia, salt etc. most of which articles are appro­ priated to Mrs. C's school. The Female Boarding School, under the care of Mrs. Coan, has been comfortably sustained as to its pecuniary wants, & otherwise greatly blessed during the year. Perhaps it has never enjoyed a year of greater vigor & prosperity than the past. Health & cheer­ fulness have bloomed on every cheek, & joy & contentment beat in every heart. On account of the great number of girls who asked for admittance into the school the teacher has been induced to exceed usual her u s u a l complement by six; So that, instead of 20 her number the past year has been 26. Still, many anxious & promising can­ didates have been rejected for want of room to receive them _(_!) & ability to support them.. The pupils have been uniformly docile, industrious, obedient & affectionate. Their progress, not only in books, but especially in some of the more important arts of �Hilo 6. 1844 domestic & civilized life, has been cheering to the heart of their teacher & has greatly encouraged her to go forward in her work. [The health of all the pupils has been nearly perfect & uninterrup­ ted during the year, and no individual has died from the school since its organization in 1838. A great part of the food & fish used in the school are furnished gratuitously by the native Chh. Clothing and other articles are supplied chiefly through the generous contributions of foreign & resident friends for whose kind & timely aid we shall ever feel under deep obligations. Of the 26 girls in the school 21 are members of the Chh. in good standing, and none of them have called for the rod of discipline (!) during the past year. At the close of the last term three of the girls were married to members of Mr. Lyman's school. The foregoing is a very brief & general outline of the labors & events of the past year. The details would be tedious in a report like this. In conclusion we would adore the grace of God by which we have been brought thus far on our way & cheered by such constant tokens of kindness & care. For all past favors we would be thankful. For our own unfaithfulness we would be humble - and in looking forward to future toils & trials, we would trust with calm and everlasting confidence in Him who has proclaimed to all his ambassadors, "Lo I am with you always" and who has laid up "a crown of righteousness" for all those who love his appearing and kingdom". In his ever blessed work we would "be steadfast, immovable" and all abounding, and to his glorious service we would consecrate ourselves afresh, entirely & eternally. �Hilo 7. 1844 Statistics. Whole no. received to the Chh, on Examination do on 8,526 Certificate 184 305 Received past year on Examination do do 14 on Certificate Whole no. received the past year - - - - - , — - - - Whole no. dismissed to other Churches - - - - - - - 319 314 34 Dismissed the past year Whole no. deceased - - - - - - - - _ 328 Deceased the past year - - - - - - Suspended the past year - - - - - - - Remain Suspended 1,481 153 - Excommunicated the past year - - - - - - - - - - Whole no. Excommunicated - - - - - 570 32 125 76 Remain Excommunicated Whole no. in regular standing - - - - - - - - 6,169 Whole no. of children Baptized - - - - - 2,801 Baptized the past year - - - - - - - - - - - Whole no. of baptized children died - - - - - - 81 142 40 Died the past year Marriages the past year - - - - - - - - - - - _Congregation on the Sabbath A.M. - - - - - - - Respectfully Submitted, By the Pastor, Titus Coan. 134 1,200 �1846 Pastoral Report for Hilo Station S) from May 1, 1844 to May 1, 1846 In surveying the period embraced in this report let our Al­ mighty Maker & Benefactor first be praised for the almost uniform Our labors have not,. health & happiness we have enjoyed like those of many others, been interrupted by sickness nor have any of our number been called away by death. The grand object of our labors mission as of all true Christian missions, ( !) has been to save souls from death. Nor have those collateral ( !) labors connected with this grand object, such as the physical, social & intellectual improvement of the people, been neglected. The obstacles encountered are, in part, such as are common, & partly peculiar. Like all our fellow laborers we are called to contend with depravity in its varied forms of ignorance, indolence, ingratitude, selfishness, lust etc. etc, -'in short with its com­ plex, nameless and numberless ramifications. The extent of the field So its difficulty of access are well know[n] to you all. But another obstacle to our work, and one not the least for­ midable is, the rapid increase of sailors & of unruly & ungodly for­ eigners among our people. We need only allude to this fact - il­ lustration is unnecessary. Still we have all the encouragements necessary to a prompt, patient & cheerful pursuance of our work. The promises "Lo ! I am with you - My grace is sufficient for thee”, and a thousand other like assurances, together with our own experience of the love, , the power & the faithfulness of Jehovah, forbid us to falter, or faint, or doubt, or despond in our glorious enterprise. is "Onward" . Our motto We will now proceed to name a few facts as evidences �Hilo 1846 2. of progress among our people. 1st Civil & domestic improvements. Great numbers of the people & especially those about the station are fast increasing the external comforts of life. Dwellings are being improved, commerce conveniences increases & clothing, utensils, furniture, and other c o n v e n i e n c e s of life ( !) are accumulating. 2d. Knowledge. This also is fast increasing among the people. But this knowledge is of a mixed character, i.e. of "good & evil"; and, consequently, its effects are of a mixed character. viz. good ( !) Our common schools of which we have more than 50 are doing as well as could be expected. Probably they are In as pros­ perous a state as on any part of the Islands. These schools enroll all the children of a suitable age, nearly all of whom attend school more or less regularly. The teachers are not well paid, though some of them get all they earn (?) & all of them get enough to keep them from mutiny & from starvation. They have a thousand defects and yet they have, perhaps, never been in a more prosperous state, & the cause of education has never made more progress in the same length of time in Hilo & Puna than during the last year. Mrs. Coa n 's Female Boarding School, has been in operation as usual during the last two years. 20 & some of the time more. The number of scholars has been The health of the school has been good & its progress encouraging. It has been sustained by the' dona­ tions of natives at monthly concert & by the liberality of friends from & in foreign lands. 3d. Morals &c. The general state of the church & people has been peaceful & encouraging. Except at & near the station where the influx of foreigners multiples snares for the unwary, discipline ( !) has not often been called for. Meetings throughout the field �Hilo 1846 3. have been well attended, & sobriety & good order, have, for the most part, prevailed. Twenty five congregations are organized at out stations in Hilo & Puna. These are all furnished either with meet­ ing houses or with comfortable school houses in which they worship from Sabbath to Sabbath. Some of these meeting houses are carpeted with mats & furnished with plain pulpits & seats by the efforts of the people. The congregation at the station has been uniformly good on the Sabbath when the weather was pleasant. The whole number who atten[d] public worship more or less uniformly in Hilo & Puna may be estimated at about 8000. Twelve tours have been made and six protracted meetings held in Hilo & Puna during the past two years. These meetings, especial­ ly several at the out posts were much blessed to saints & sinners. The Spirit of God fell with melting & quickening power upon many. There have also been evidences of the Spirit's work in many parts of the field during the time embraced in this report. A goodly number of souls have we trust been turned from the power of Satan unto God & been made partakers of the grace of life. Still there has been much stupidity in the chh. & much moral dearth over which to mourn before ( !) God. For public benevolent objects they have done something. Be­ sides considerable labor bestowed on their meeting houses they have contributed in labor, produce, merchandise & cash not far from 800 dollars. This sum, however, has not been realized, from the fact that very much of their labor could not be made available. Many plantations of kalo & potatoes in Hilo & Puna have returned to the ground, or been given away because the distance was too great to bring the products to market & because there was no pur­ chaser on the spot. Of the contributions received, some part has �Hilo 4. 1846 been spent in repairing churches, some in procuring furniture for communion tables; a part has been given to the poor., some to native helpers., some to Mrs. C's Boarding School, & about 50 dollars in cash, lately contributed at the Monthly Concert, will be handed over to some venevolent institution, probably the Hawaiian Bible Society. No special & vigorous efforts have yet been made to raise a support for the pastor among the people. It is probable that this could be done but it has been doubted whether this was the best way to appropriate the offerings of the people for the present. Perhaps the thing w il l be accomplished by & by. We are happy how­ ever, to learn that the experiment has been made with such success in several places, & we say God speed to the righteous enterprise We will follow when the way seems clear. The ordinary round of Sabbath & weekly public labors at the Station has been as follows. On Sabbath, 1st Sab. School. Sermon. 3d Meeting of Inquiry &c &c. 4th. Sermon. English to seamen &c. 2d 5th Sermon in This last exercise is kept up during the greater part of the year. On week days our exercises are a lec­ ture on Wednesdays, another on Fridays to children & a third on Saturdays. are held. Besides these the monthly concert & occasional meetings Our Sabbath School & lecture for children have been well attended, enrolling in all more than 400 boys & girls. This vineyard has been one of peculiar interest & of promise, & it is our joy as well as our duty to cultivate it. Popery ceases to attract attention in our field. The cause seems dead & buried & may its resurrection never come while the earth remaineth or the stars roll. not be too confident - much less On this point however we would would we boast. What new energy the man of Sin will yet exert & what new schemes he will divise ( I) �5. Hilo 1846 to accomplish his dark purposes in this land, we know not. Our only hope is in Him who made heaven & earth. By the annexed statistical tables it will be seen that the whole number gathered to the chh. at Hilo on examination is 9079. Of these 305 were added during the past year and 248 during the previous year, making an addition of 553 since our last Gen. Meet. It will also be seen that 335 have died during the past & 241 during the previous year, making a total of 576 who have died since our last report. The whole number who have been called from this chh. to the bar of their Judge is 2057. Could this pastor feel assured that !!these all died in faith" he would realize a thousand fold reward for all the toil & care & watchings bestowed upon them. But their day of trial is ended - their destiny is fixed, & "the day will reveal it." Their pastor's work for them is also done &, with the rest of his flock will soon go to receive the reward of the faithful or to feel the doom (?) of the unfaithful servant. Statistics of Hilo Chh, from May 1, 1844 to May 1, 1845. Whole number received on Examination ---- ---- ------ - 8774 Do on Certificate - - - - - - - - 223 Received the past year on Examination - - - - - - - 248 Do do on Certificate - - - 39 Whole number received the past year - - - 287 Whole number dismissed to other Churches - - 344 Dismissed the past year - - - - - - - - - - - - - 30 Whole number deceased - - - - - - - - - 1722 Deceased the past year - - - - - - - - - - - - 241 Suspended the past year - - - - - - - - - - - - 27 Remain Suspended - - - - - - - - - - - - - 497 Excommunicated the past yr none Whole number excommunicated - - - - - - - - - - 125 Remain excommunicated - - - - - - - - - - - - - 55 How in regular standing - - - - - - - - - - - 6379 Whole number of children baptized - - - - - - - 2862 Baptized the past year - - - - - - - - - 61 Baptized children died - - - - - - - - - - - 150 do do the past year - -------- 8 Marriages the past year 123 Congregation on the Sabbath from 500 to 1200 �Hilo 1846 6. Statistics of Hilo Chh.. from May 1, 1845 to May 1, 4 6 . W hole number received on Examination - - - Do do do on Certificate - - - - - - Received the past year on Examination Do do on Certificate - - Whole number received the past year - - - - — Whole number dismissed to other churches - - - - Dismissed the past year ------------ - - - - . Whole number deceased - - - - - - - - Died the past year - - - - - - - - - Suspended the past year - - - - - - - - -------------- -Remain suspended Excommunicated the past year - - - - Whole number excommunicated - - - - - - - Remain Excommunicated Now in regular standing - - - - - - - - - - - Whole number of children Bapt. - - - - - - - Baptized the past year --- Baptized children deceased. - - - - - - Do Do do past year - - - - - Marriages the past year Congregation on the Sabbath - - - - - - 500 to 9079 283 305 60 365 357 13 2057 335 32 483 none 125 45 6420 2946 84 212 62 139 1200 Statistics united for the past 2 years ending May. 1, 1846 Received to Chh. on Ex. during the last 2 yrs. -Do do by Certificate - - - - - Whole number received in two years - - - - - - Do do removed to other churches — - - Whole number deceased in 2 years - - - - - - Do do Suspended " " " - - - - - - - Do. " of children baptized " - - - - - Do. " of baptized children died - - - - - Do. ,r of Marriages 553 652 43 576 59 145 70 262 Statistics of Common Schools in Hilo & Puna. Number Do Do Do Do Do Do Do of of of of of in schools - - - - - - - - - - - - teachers - - - - - - - - - - - children enrolled readers - - - - - - - - - writers. - - - - - - - - - - geography - -- - - - - - - - in arithmetic - - - - - - - - - -in children’s arithmetic - - - - - - - - - - 2525 1327 789 - - - Titus Coan [On back]: Mr. Coan's Report for 1845 - 1846 [Actually for 2 years] 52 105 679 1015 704 99 �Hilo, Aug. 17, 1847 Dear Brethren, Through many cares I have postponed my annual Statistics too long I now send them for the year commencing May 1, 1846 and ending April 30, 1847. I had thought of making out a full report of my labors etc, but time passes & I give it up. Of course I report occasionally to the Board, direct. condition of the chh. Schools &c has been encouraging. The general My labors much as In former years with somewhat similar results. The Chh. has been peaceful and most of its members have stood fast - Some have fallen and as many have been restored. converted. A goodly number have,as we trust been Spiritual showers have fallen on several portions of this Zion. thing has occurred to dishearten, much to encourage. No Were our own faith and fidelity as constant as the care and loving kindness of our God we should have less cause for humiliation. Statistics of Hilo Chh. from May 1, 46 to Apr 30, 47 Whole no. received on examination " " certificate 338 Received past year on examination 117 ” " " 9196 by certificate 55 Whole number received the past year 172 Whole number dismissed to other churches 370 Past year to other churches 13 Whole number deceased 2282 Died past year 228 Suspended the past year 45 Remain suspended 495 Excommunicated the past year 00 Whole number excommunicated 125 Remain excommunicated 37 Whole number in good standing 6350 Children baptised the past year 81 Whole no. of children baptised do do 3027 of baptised children deceased 217 Died in past year 05 Marriages past year 92 Sabbath congregation from 500 to 1200 �Hilo, Aug. 1847 2 My statistics of common schools I took with me to Puna and unfortunately they are behind in my calabash, my luggage not having yet come in. Should the vessel sail before the arrival of these papers,(wh. is probable) I will endeavor to send by the next opportunity. Should be happy to write each of you separately but cannot now. Much love to all your families, from us all. In haste but in truth. Your affectionate Bro. Titus Coan. �Statistics of Schools in Hilo and. Puna. 38 No. of Schools d o ■ of scholars " of readers " of writers 2266 1198, 765 " Arithmetic 884 Childn do. 843 Geography 650 s as I received these statistics after I closed my letter in wh . I mentioned thema not at hand. Yours truly T. Coan [Written in pencil, different hand]: with letter of Aug,17 1847 �Report of Hilo Station from May 1, 1846 to Apr. 30, '48 It is always good to recognize the hand of the Lord in all his works. It is profitable to review his dispensations & to mark the progress of his cause. and meditate & reflect. adore the Most High. It is good to pause, now & then, It is good to give thanks to praise & to It is good to remember his loving-kindness, to recount the tokens of his grace & to learn wisdom by all his providential dealings with his Zion. Especially is this exercise appropriate on this bienniary occasion. It is cheering, it is comely it is delightful, after a two years separation, to meet and to mingle our holiest sympathies, our purest love, our best counsels & our most fervent aspirations. It is good to give & to receive - to speak freely of all the way in which the Lord has led us and to communicate the history of his gracious or his afflictive visitations to those portions of Zion over which the Holy Ghost has made us overseers. The general health of our Station has been good, but the Mission have all been informed of the deep sorrow & the exalted joy we have been called to experience in witnessing the early decline & the peaceful & triumphant departure of our beloved Sister Paris. The Mission will rejoice with the bereaved in that calm & firm & unfailing exhibition of faith which sustained the soul of the de­ parted during the severest hours of trial till the freed Spirit soared on its strong pinions to the world of fruition. We will also mingle our tears with those of the mourners, & our prayers shall ascend to Heaven on their behalf. �Hilo 2 1848 In giving a brief & rapid sketch, of the progress and state of things in Hilo & Puna we will, first notice, General Improvements in temporal matters. Although these blessings are not the grand & direct object of Missionary labor, still they never fail, as collateral results, to accompany the faithful and successful propagation of the gospel among savage & barbarous tribes. Consequently, as the results of knowledge & truth we see industry & thrift every where gaining upon indolence & poverty, & comfort & competence taking place of misery & squalid want. It is true with our people as with many In more highly favored lands that all are not benefited by the introduction of light & the accumulation of wealth among them. Of course we still mourn over Ignorance, poverty and vice, the legiti­ mate offspring of mental, physical & moral imbecility. But It Is not so with all. Multitudes have aroused from the sleep of ages, & under the quickening impulse of Christian civilization, are putting forth their energies to rise above the condition of the brutes, & to collect around them & their children those temporal comforts which a beneficent Creator so liberally bestows on those who seek them aright. In the erection of framed houses, in the improvement of the old style of dwellings, In procuring tables, bedsteads, chests, chairs, writing desks, stationary etc. in collecting cutlery ( !), earthen, glass & hardware, including a considerable variety of culinary & domestic utensils; in multiplying agricultural & mechan­ ical implements, in seeking a greater variety of wholesome food, & a more comfortable & respectable supply of clothing; in time pieces - �Hilo 1848 3. in horses, oxen, cows, goats &c. In opening & improving roads; in erection of fences and in the numerous other things we see the marks of constant & rapid progress in civilization and general improvement. Probably the wealth of Hilo has Increased from 30 to 50 fold within the last 10 years - And still, the people are poor, most of them quite so, while none of them are rich. All we would be understood to say is, that their temporal comforts have improved & multiplied rapidly, more rapidly than the most sanguine could have anticipated while there is ample room for still greater improvements. In some sections of Puna, the people, of their own accord, have made comfortable roads through thickets & over lava fields, for the distance of several miles. Meeting Houses. In building, rebuilding, repairing, and improv­ ing the numerous houses of public worship in Hilo & Puna, the Church has shown a commendable zeal. Our houses are all plain & cheap - mostly thatched, with a few of rough stone. On these buildings they have expended during the past year about one thousand and one hun­ dred ($1,100) dollars. In addition to this I have more than $200 in goods, in my hands, contributed to repair the meeting house at the Station. Schools. These are not what we could wish them to be, yet they have, perhaps, never been more prosperous than during the past year. About 2600 children have attended the schools of Hilo & Puna, as will be seen by the subjoined statistical table. Many of these schools have made commendable progress In their studies, and many of the teachers have labored with zeal & patience. We regret to say, �Hilo 1848 4. however that they have not always been compensated as the law directs. Through the maladministration of former Lunaauhaus , {tax collectors} the avails of the labor tax were not appropriated to pay the teachers, cons-equently, at the close of the year 1847 the debt due the teachers of Hilo & Puna amounted to more than $2000. The old lunas have been removed & a new one appointed who gave promise of intro­ ducing a better state of fiscal affairs, but, before he had time to make a full & fair experiment he was called away by death. During the few months of his incumbency, more school debts were paid than had been paid during the three previous years. The pastor has attended most of the school examinations in company with the superintendent, and during the months of Feb. & March of the present year all the schools of Hilo & Puna have been assembled at six convenient points for temperance celebration, public thanksgiving etc. On these occasions the teachers & pupils appeared in their best robes, and with banners & plumes - with-joy­ ful looks & glad hearts marched and sung (?) & feasted. addresses, lectures &c &c. were interspersed - Prayers, In some cases these exercises were continued for 2 or 3 days with happy effect. Tours. Twelve tours have been performed viz. 6 through Hilo & 6 Puna during the past 2 years. These tours are always arduous & sometimes perilous on account of slippery precipices, & mad streams to be waded or swam or crossed by the help of ropes. Not a year passes without bringing Its tidings of some one, native or foreigner, being swept away by these streams, and we would devoutly praise the Most High that no member of our Mission has yet fallen a victim to these raging waters. �5. On all these tours, the Chh, & people have been collected in villages at convenient distances, where their names have been called, their-manner of life examined & such instruction & pastoral care bestowed on them as seemed suited to their characters & wants. On these tours several protracted meetings have been held with evident profit & often with cheering tokens of the Spirit’s presence & power. Two or three protracted meetings have been held at the Sta­ tion with more or less interest; but some of the meetings at out stations have been more distinctly marked by the blessing of the Lord. The Chh. Lunas, or leading members of the Church, have also been assembled at the station, either annually or semi-annually, for consultation, prayer, instruction etc. etc. They have, also, been collected in little divisions on every tour through Hilo & Puna. There are about 25 places of public worship In the field on the Sabbath, and this number is increased for the better accommodation of week-day meetings - These meetings have been well sustained during the past year and there are now some 200 daily prayer meetings In Hilo & Puna. The Church, has been remarkably peaceful &, on the whole, prosperous during the period embraced in this report. discipline have not been, comparatively, numerous. The cases of There is also, as we trust, an increasing knowledge of the nature of Christ’s kingdom, & an increasing respect for the truth & the ordinances of the gospel. We still have a class of ignorant, indifferent, stupid & fruitless professors - We also find a class of impulsive, hot & �6 cold, see-saw disciples - -waxing & waning like the moon, ebbing & flowing like the sea - strong & weak - waking & sleeping - fighting & fleeing - repenting & relapsing - forsaking & embracing sin "resolving & re-resolving and dying the same." We also have a class of decided & determined hypocrites, throwing the guise of guile over all their actions & laboring only to deceive. Of these it can hardly be said that their consciences are seared or defiled, even, for there is little or no evidence that they ever had consciences. nihility or non-entity. With them, such an attribute seems a They have but one apparent object, viz. to appear what they are not, rather than to be what they would be es­ teemed to be. To these sin-ruined souls the light of truth never penetrates. In these hard hearts the arrows of truth find no lodgement. Over all these deluded classes our hearts mourn with heavy sorrow. But to this picture there is a cheering contrast. We find a class, a numerous & increasing class of professors who are consistant, active, steadfast Christians, and who appear to be growing in grace, or in the knowledge & love of the truth. Every year adds fresh evidence that God has a chosen people in this field and every year gives new hope & joy & courage to the pastor. Multitudes who were hopefully born again in the great revival from 1836 to 1840 still stand fast & give increasing evidence of a work of grace on their hearts, & of having been adopted into the family of Christ. Work of the Spirit. During the year 1836 there were no special general indications of the work of the Spirit in quickening the Church & in leading �7. sinners to the Lamb of God. There were, however, during this period, exhibitions of the saving grace of God in several places, and there never was a time when there were less than 50 to a 100 inquirers who professed to be willing to give themselves to the Lord, and more than one 100 were added to the Church during that year. Daring the year 1847 there was a gradual waking up in the Church, and this spiritual motion increased & extended till every part of the field was more or less affected by it. In its commencement it seemed like the first gentle ripple upon a calm & glassy sea till it fresh­ ened into a grateful breeze & extended its refreshing influences over the whole face of society. From the commencement of 1848 up to the present time, a reviving influence has been quite marked and gen­ eral throughout Hilo & Puna. Very few either in the Church or out of it have remained wholly indifferent. Though everything has been calm & gentle, and no strongly excited feelings have been seen, still there has appeared to be, in many cases a deep, and generally an honest & decided interest in those things which concern the Lord Jesus. Many who were not even aroused in the great revival, are now enquiring what they must do. There is a general disposition to attend religious meetings, and daily praying circles, to the number of 200 or 300 are organized all over the field. On the whole there has been no time since 1839-40 when the pastor could report the state & prospects of the church as more cheer­ ing & prosperous than on the present occasion. The Labors at the Station have been much as usual - viz. two sermons, a Sabbath School and a meeting of inquiry on the Lord’s day with 3 or 4 lectures during the week, besides the ten thousand daily etcetera ( !) which we all understand, but which pen or tongue �Hilo 8. 1848 never named. Our Sabbath. School for Children has been very full & inter­ esting, embracing some 500 or 600 scholars. For a large portion of the time one English service has been held at Hilo on each Lord's day. In this Bro. Paris & the writer have usually alternated. Mr. Paris has also uniformly alternated in the native services of the Sabbath when not absent from the Sta­ tion, & the pastor is also under many obligations to this Brother & to Bro. Lyman for taking the entire labors of the Station when he has been absent on tour, as well as for many occasional & incidental labors. Romanism. So far as we can discern this error has been dormant in our field for a long time. Very little zeal or activity have been dis­ played on the part of priest or his disciples. I know of no access­ ions to their party during the past year while numbers have left them. Their meetings have been thinly attended & their schools have been but a shadow & a shame - in fact a misnomer. Not more than one or two of these schools, if any, are now in operation, and the number of scholars in our Schools is not decreased by their efforts. There seems to be a pause in their operations, but this quiescent state may be the prelude to a more vigorous onset as a quiescent state of the atmosphere often precedes a gathering storm or as the electricity slumbers in the charged cloud till it suddenly bursts with a crash & a roar. That the Papists have changed their policy from a stormy and belligerent to a more quiet & flattering one is most evident, but which set of tactics will be most effective remains to be seen. Of one thing, however, we may rest assured, that while we cleave to �9, the Lord in love & in faith, & while the Lord is with this Mission & these churches, we have nothing to fear for the cause of truth; if we forsake the Lord & he forsake us we have everything to fear. Support of Pastor. It was not until 1847 that any efforts were made to collect a portion of the pastor's salary from the natives. At that time the proposition was made & an experiment commenced, but without much vigorous or systematic effort. The subject was mentioned to a portion only of the church to be entirely optional with them. Many came forward promptly & cheerfully & subscribed for the object. The nominal amount collected in trade & cash is $425.18 cts. Re- duced to cash value it stands $317.50 cts. Finally, while we have much cause for humility & self abasement in view of our own unfaithfulness and the sins of the people, we have also abundant occasion for praising the Lord, for trusting him, for taking hold of his strength in prayer and for finding ourselves afresh for his service. The subjoined tables show the statistics of the Church, the Schools etc. Statistics of Schools in Hilo & Puna Number of schools - - - 40 M of Teachers 55 ,r of Scholars 2592 " Readers 1457 " Writers 1058 " Arithmetic 1147 Child's Geography Sacred do do 878 - - - 931 122 �Hilo 1848 Church Statistics for the year ending April 30, '47 Whole number received on Examination " ” ” - ----- by certificate Received the past year on Examination " " " " " " 338 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - dismissed to other churches Whole number deceased Suspended " Remain Suspended - - - - - - - - - - - - - " - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Whole number in good standing - - - - - - - - Baptized the past year Whole number of baptized children died - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Congregation on the Sabbath 125 37 of children baptized Marriages the past year 495 none Remain Excommunicated Died the past year 228 45 Whole number excommunicated - - - - - - - - - " 13 2282 Excommunicated past year " 172 370 Dismissed the past year- - - - - - - - - - - - - Deceased the past year 117 55 by certificate Whole number received past year 9196 6350 3027 81 217 5 92 1000 �Hilo 11. 1848 Church Statistics for year ending Ap. 30, 1848 Whole number on Examination 9382 On certificate 577 Past year on examination - - - - - " " - - - on certificate 186 39 Whole number past year 225 Whole No. dismissed 425 Dismissed the past year - - - - - - - - Total deceased 55 2598 Deceased past year 316 Suspended past year 40 Remain Suspended 450 Excommunicated past year none Total excommunicated - - - — - - --- - - Remain Excom. 125 35 Whole number in regular standing 6251 Total of Baptized children - - - - - 3083 Baptized past year 56 Total of Baptized children deceased Deceased the past year - - - - - - - - - Marriages past year Sabbath congregation - - - - - - - - - - 244 27 88 1200 �Hilo 1848 Past two years united. Past 2 years on Examination " " " 303 Certificate 94 Whole No. past 2 years -------------- ---397 68 Dismissed the last two years Died Suspended " " " " " " " " " Excommunicated " 544 85 " Children Baptized " -------- - - " 00 " 137 Baptized children died " 32 Marriages ” 180 Benevolent efforts the past year Expended on Meeting houses &c $1,100 Remaining on hand for do 225 Gratuitous labor on roads 150 Contributed for support of Pastor, trade receipts425.18 Reduced to cash value 317.50 Respectfully submitted, Titus Coan, Pastor �Pastoral & General Report for Hilo for the year ending March 1849 Let the taunting Son of Esau call but of Seir, "Watchman! What of the night." Israel's Watchman may always respond to the haughty Edomite, "The. morning cometh - and also the night." Morn­ ing to Zion - night to her foes. There are times in the history of the Chh. and in the state of some of its local branches, when, to the eyes of man light & darkness, morning & midnight seem conflicting, & when human reason & unbelief predict disaster & overthrow to the kingdom of Christ. And even some of the fearful & faint hearted among the saints, sigh in sadness & despondency, and go backward, enquiring in mournful tones, "By whom shall Jacob arise, for he is small." "But to the upright light ariseth in darkness" & light & gladness are sown for the righteous. The strong, the steady, the clear eye of faith pierces the clouds which envelope the Eternal, Sees: the Great Head of the Church robed (?) in light and clothed with universal dominion, & reads his purpose to fill the earth with his glory - his commission to his ministers, "Go ye into all the World," & his promise "Lo! I am with you always." In reviewing the history of the Hawaiian Church & people for the past year our hearts would all fail us, and we should cry out alas! We have labored in vain & spent our strength for nought, did not faith viewing the bow of God spanning the heavens, rise above the darkening clouds into the regions of serene & everlasting sun­ shine. Perhaps we had all indulged the too fond anticipation of seeing the Hawaiian race, with its language and young literature, & with all the infant institutions of Christianity & civilization, �Hilo 2. 1849 established on a solid basis, & bequeathed as Heaven's best & our last legacy to this people, so that when called to rest from our labors we might feel that these rich, these priceless blessings, would be perpetuated & would remain to the nation, so long as the Sun & the Moon endure. But God's ways are not our ways and his thoughts are not our thoughts - The purposes, the hopes & the expectations of man's heart, and even of the good man's heart, may fail; but the counsel of the Lord shall stand. The mysterious dealings of divine Providence with this people during the past year, though in some of these aspects still dark, are not devoid of light even to our weak vision. The Angel of the Lord has passed through the land with his drawn sword and the nation has been decimated. We have seen the affecting spectacle of a whole people prostrated at once by pesti­ lence, like a forest before a mighty tempest, & our ears have heard the startling death-wail coining up from every hamlet of the land, while the angel of vengeance was destroying in all our coasts. In this amazing providence we see the forestallment of the nation’s doom, and we seem to read the design of God to remove & blot out this people from the earth & from under these heavens; a truth which we can still more distinctly read in the slow, silent, and changeless laws of nature & of being, by which the nations and the tribes that violate these laws shall gradually perish till they are utterly wasted, nevertheless, as the Saints, according to His promise, look for new heavens & a new earth, when the heavens & the earth which now are shall have dissolved & passed away, so we may con­ fidently hope & believe that Christ will have a kingdom & a people �Hilo 1849 3 on these shores, against which the gates of hell shall not prevail a kingdom which shall stand fast & he transmitted to children & to children’s children, long after we shall have "been called from these earthly scenes. Seeing then, that we look for such things we may well give up the of our minds, be sober & hope to the end for the grace which is to be revealed. If we hope & believe in such a result then may we with patience wait for it. If we trust in the promises of Him who has said that Zion's prayers shall be heard & that his work shall be rewarded, then may we be steadfast, im­ movable, always abounding in the work of the Lord for as much as we know that our labor shall not be in vain in the Lord. Even though Israel be not gathered, yet shall Christ & all his faithful servants be glorious. Of one thing we may at least be sure - Should the nation wreck & should its social & civil fabric burn, we may save some of its treasures from the deep - We may pluck many souls as- brands from the burning. Were I to describe the scenes of sickness, of want, of sorrow & pain, of mortality, of desolation & of lamentations which have been witnessed in Hilo & Puna since our last Gen. Meet, it would be but a recapitulation of what has already passed in sad & mournful detail before you all. Such a scene of the simultaneous prostration of a whole community is not often witnessed in our dying world. To see 3, 5, 10 & 15 in one house, all panting together with the same disease, & nor one to administer to their wants; to see corpses, multiplied on every side; to look at houses desolated & charnel hous­ es filled; to bury 3, 5, 10 in a day, & sometimes 3 in one grave; to hear the voice of wailing breaking forth on every hand and �Hilo 1849 4. distorting the stillness of midnight; or, more affecting still, to know that sorrow had dried up the fountains of condolence, or that weakness & languor had destroyed the power of weeping among the sufferers; so that the ghostly living often hastened the remains of their dearest friends to the grave with noiseless footsteps & in tearless silence - All this and much more, has passed under your own observation and opened up the deep fountains of sympathy in . your souls. About one thousand of the people of Hilo & Puna have been removed by death during the past year leaving but 9000 in the field. Among the departed were many good men, helpers, examples & pillars in the Hawaiian church. These all died in the faith, & have, me doubt not,"received the End of their faith." in joy & in triumph, leaning on their beloved. Some departed But a larger part of those who have been swept off by this epidemic were of more doubt­ ful religions characters & many of them were decidedly wicked & fell in consequence of their dissolute habits. Although the Mission families, & especially our children, have suffered more or less in the general calamity, still we are mercy called upon to bless the Lord for his great mercy & forbearance towards us. None of us have been called away. No maternal or paternal, no fraternal, no conjugal or filial tear has been shed over a dear departed one - Through grace we remain an unbroken circle. But we do not forget, nor do we cease to feel for those of our number with whom it has been otherwise. Our hearts have sympathized with dear brethren & sisters who have been bereaved, who have drunk of the cup of sorrow & whose tears still flow & who still feel the desolations made in their dwellings & in their hearts. The God of all grace & �5 . consolation comfort the mourner & bind up the bleeding spirit. Of Temporal Improvements for the past year we have little to say. The pestilence which has swept over the land, & the great, the almost continuous & unparalleled rains which have flooded the earth through the winter, have left the people little time or abil­ ity to improve their temporal condition. For half the year labor, except that which was demanded to sustain life, has been almost entirely suspended. The hand of God was so heavy upon the people that they bowed beneath it by thousands without power to raise themselves. Consequently their secular affairs have received a shock from which they cannot soon recover. They are in a less prosperous state than before the commencement of the epidemics. The Schools have been kept up most of the time through the year, but with reduced numbers and with less vigor than usual. They were on a good footing at the commencement of the Missionary year, but the sickness & the flooding rains almost annihilated them for several months, but they are now revived again with a good degree of promise. Teachers have been better paid than formerly; - probably they have drawn more than during three preceding ( !) years. The Labors at the Station, have been much as usual, with the exception, of course, of greatly increased efforts in distributing medicines, visiting the sick & burying the dead. Four Tours have been accomplished during the nine months since our return from the last Gen. Meet. Several protracted meet­ ings & school celebrations have been held at different places in the field and at the station. Four rough stone meeting houses, and one in the ancient style, �Hilo 6. 1849 have been built at outstations by the voluntary efforts of the Church - Other Meeting-houses in the field have been repaired, new seats, plain pulpits, mats &c. have been introduced. All the labor and material which have been expended on places of worship during the past year may be estimated at 1200 dollars. Something has also been done for the poor. The people have contributed from their poverty & in the midst of their sorrow $626.12 in cash and other articles, for the support of their pastor &c. When reduced to cash value the sum is 541 .00. [American Seamen’s Friends Society] $100. of the above given to the A.S.F.S. and $441.00 to A.B.C.F.M. and charged to the pastor on the books of our agent. Romanism, so far as we can see has made no progress during the year - On the contrary, it is our impression that its influence has declined. The priest at Hilo seems nettled & chaffed ( !) by neglect, & by the languishing state of his cause. He has earnestly sought to enter into a public controversy with me, but I stubbornly refused to leave my work on the walls of Zion, to come down & fight on the plains of Ono. Nolaila ua hokaia. In the midst of all her trials the Church has, on the whole, been in an encouraging state. Many of its members have borne their afflictions with Christian resignation. They have appeared to see & to feel the hand of a Father in all their trials, & have evidently grown in grace & in the knowledge of God. Very little defection has come to the knowledge of the pastor, less, probably than during any former year since the great revival. Meetings have never been suspended at the station or in most outstations through the field. Even in the season of the deepest sorrows, a few have �Hilo 7. 1849 been found, who, with tottering footsteps & emaciated form found their way to the house of prayer to lay hold on the horns of the altar. More than 700 of the chh. have gone the way of all the earth since we last met, about 500 of them in consequence of the pestilence which swept over the land. Besides these nearly 200 baptized children of the Chh. have also been taken away during the same period. Our Civil Census also, taken in Jan., presents an affecting fact, viz. that the people are wasting away & must at no distant period, become extinct as a nation. The number of deaths in Hilo & Puna for the year 1848 was 934 while the births for the same period were only 173, and the larger part of these survived their birth but a little while. The decrease of population in the whole field since 1846, is about 1100, and the present population stands at about 9000. But while death has been accomplishing his work, the Spirit of life from God, has revived many dry bones & raised them up to praise the Redeemer. Many members of the Chh. who had wandered wide in the paths of folly and some -who had gone over to the papal ranks, have been brought back to the fold, & have found, with ap­ parent joy, their long forgotten resting place, while 265 have been gathered from the ranks of the world, and a considerable company still stand as candidates for the Church. On the whole, we think the truth is gaining ground that the gospel is taking root in the hearts of the people - that a more solid, enlightened & enduring piety is prevailing in the church, and we have many encouragements to hope, to believe, to rejoice, to labor, & in patience to possess our souls. While we have many things over which to mourn & for which �8 to be humbled, still we are called upon to rejoice in the Lord always; to feel that God has not cast away his people; that he has not forsaken the work of his hands; that he has not given over his heritage to reproach; but that his mercy endureth forever. With his assurance, "I will never leave thee nor forsake thee" may we not boldly say "The Lord is our helper" & under his shadow we will live among the heathen. Let us trust in him & do good- So shall we dwell in the land & verily we shall be fed. Church Statistics Received past year on Examination - - - - - - - - - Whole no. on Examination 9647 Received past y r . on certificate - - - - - - - - - - Whole no. on certificate 21 398 Dismissed past year - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Whole no. dismissed Deceased past year - - 265 28 453 - - - - ------ - - 703 Whole no. deceased 3301 Excluded past year 25 Whole no. remaining excluded Now in regular standing Children baptized past year - - - - - - - - - - - - Whole no. Baptized 387 5906 108 3191 Baptized children deceased past year - - - - - - - - 183 Whole no. baptized children deceased 427 Marriages past year - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Average no. who attend Meet, in field 91 1000 �Hilo 1849 Contributions To Pastor, noml value $626.12 The above reduced to cash $541.00 cts. $100. appropriated to A.S.F.S. $441.00 to A.B.C.F.M. Labor & materials for M. Houses $200.00 Civil Census Hilo " Males 2825 Females 2579 Foreigners 59 Total of Hilo Puna - 5463 Males 1807 - Fem . 1761 - Total Grand total of Hilo & Puna 3568 9031 Deaths 934 - Births 173 - Decrease since ’46 - 1098 Schools Mo. of Schools 41 " Scholars 2176 " Readers 1271 Arithmetic 1078 Geography 833 Writers 851 - Teachers, 50 Respectfully Submitted, T. Coan, pastor, April 4, 1849 � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Mission Station Reports - Hawaii Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Mission Station Reports - Hawaii - Hilo - 1831-1849 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1831, 1832, 1833, 1834, 1835, 1836, 1837, 1838, 1840, 1841, 1842, 1843, 1844, 1846, 1847, 1848, 1849