OBJECTIONS TO CONTINUING THE MISSION.

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trial of the faith and patience of men and women who were endeavoring to do for them whatever could be reasonably required at their hands. Says Mr. A., "Some lie and sleep; some laugh and talk; and others mock and mimic the preacher, and endeavor to excite laughter in others. Here one sits smoking a pipe. There another, twisting a rope, and often, there is such confusion that the preacher can scarcely hear himself speak. When we request them to sit still, and hearken to our words, they reply, 'Yes, let us all sit still and listen.' One says to another,' Šit you still there,' and makes a motion as though he would strike him or throw a stone at him; the other must retaliate, and this excites laughter. Not unfrequently, numbers will rise and go off, laughing and mocking." They refused the offer of salvation.

The tribe, in Massachusetts Bay, were threatened with invasion from the warlike and superstitious Taipis, who wanted human sacrifices, and for them, the missionaries formed a part of the people, and were equally eligible for sacrifices and for the cannibal feast; and they intended to make them suffer, in full measure, the consequences of a war which themselves were laboring to bring upon the people.

The first day of April, the missionaries observed as a day of fasting, prayer, and consultation as to duty, and concluded to retrace their path to the Sandwich Islands, for various reasons; but the one conclusive, in their minds, said Mr. Alexander, is this; "The population, in this field, capable of being brought under the influence of missionaries, is too small to justify the Board in sustaining a mission here, when such vast fields, in other places, are calling for their efforts."

Mr.

The English missionaries, as well as the American, have found peculiar difficulties to encounter, at the Marquesas; though their hopes of ultimate success have not been relinquished. Rogerson, who, for some time, labored at one of those islands, under the patronage of the London Missionary Society, being convinced that the place was unfit to be the residence of civilized females, removed to Tahiti, with his wife and three children. Those of the people who had grown to years of maturity, seemed as much as ever attached to their own superstitions, and the youth could not be prevailed on to assemble regularly to receive instruction. There had been a war at 'T'ahuata, and two persons had been killed, baked, and eaten. In writing from Tahiti to the Sandwich Islands, he says,

"A short time previous to this war, a native of Dominica, who was over on a visit to Vaitahu, set fire to our dwelling, chiefly, with a view, as we supposed, of plundering. He was seen climbing over the fences, by a Spaniard, who came and told us, though not aware of his real intention. We perceived the fire in time, however, and had it speedily extinguished. The wretch we also apprehended, who would speedily have been cut to pieces for the diabolical act, had we given consent. All that we requested was that he might be sent home, which was done

466

RETURN TO THE SANDWICH ISLANDS.

early the next morning. Mr. Stallworthy was at the windward side of the island, at the time. One of our children was within three yards of the part of the house that was set on fire. The Lord our God was gracious unto us; and may a sense of his goodness be impressed upon our hearts, and may we be enabled to show forth his praise and promote his glory."*

After a residence of eight months at those islands, with some. difficulty, our mission families effected an embarkation from their perilous condition, on the 16th of April, and arrived at Honolulu safely, on the 12th of May, 1834.

There was need of large and repeated reinforcements to maintain the older ports and to man new ones, while adverse agencies were so much on the alert to circumvent the Gospel.

Mr. Armstrong was located on the northern part of Maui, Mr. Parker at Kaneohe, on the northern part of Oahu, and Mr. Alexander at Waioli, on the northern part of Kauai, all new stations, where they entered into the work of bringing the Hawaiian nation to Christ.

At Kaneohe, twelve miles north of Honolulu, the people of Palikoolau, and at their head, Amasa Kaiakoili, once the trusty warrior friend of the late Kalanimoku, but now a Christian brother in declining health, with great readiness erected a small thatched church, which was dedicated Nov. 30th, in connexion with a protracted meeting held at that place.

In the progress of this year, two of our number, Mrs. Rogers, on the 23d of May, and Mr. Shepard, on the 6th of July, peacefully finished their Christian and missionary course. On the 12th of July, Mr. David Douglass, a scientific traveller from Scotland, in the service of the London Horticultural Society, lost his life in the mountains of Hawaii, in a pitfall, being gored and trampled to death by a wild bullock captured there.

* I have not altered my views of heathenism or Christianity since the uncivilized "Tipee" has sought, through the presses of civilization in England and America, to apologize for cannibalism, and to commend savage life to the sons and daughters of Christendom, instead of teaching the principles of science and virtue, or the worship of our Maker, among idolaters, man-eaters, and infidels.

CHAPTER XX.

SIXTEENTH YEAR OF THE MISSION AND THIRD OF KAMEHAMEHA III.--1835.

New station at Molokai-Progress in a year-New station at Waialua-New station at Ewa-Idolatrous efforts-Influence of the schools-Severe test of the pupils-Zeal of Hoapili-Marriage forbidden to those who could not read-Cooperation of Kawailepolepo at Wailuku-Manufacture of Cotton introducedReligious interest at Kauai-Shipmasters against license-Temperance petition.

As the Board supplied the means, the mission endeavored to multiply its posts, and enlarge its sphere of labor and influence. Soon after the active course of Kaahumanu was terminated, the mission proceeded to occupy a new post on the island of Molokai, whose population had as yet been greatly neglected, and concerning whom the demand was felt to be forcible-"Why is Molokai still utterly destitute of a foreign missionary ?"

A station was chosen at Kaluaaha, near the eastern end of the island, of which Mr. Hitchcock took the principal charge. He found it salubrious and agreeable as a field of missionary toil. His parish, to use a familiar term, embraced about 5000 souls, living sparsely around the shores of the whole island, most of them being poor, destitute, and ignorant. Many of their habitations were not more than two or three times as large as a common bedstead, being from seven to nine feet square on the ground, and no taller than to allow a man of ordinary stature to stand erect under the ridge-pole. The neglected human occupants of these diminutive tents or frail huts will hardly bear à description; women with arms, neck, chest, feet, and ankles naked; men with "the wretched malo," a narrow girdle round the middle, covering," as Mr. H. said, "scarcely more of the whole surface of the body than a pair of shoes;" children often with no clothing but their swarthy skin; then, to complete the catalogue, various tribes-cats, dogs, pigs, fowls, goats, mice, cockroaches, flies, musquitoes, fleas, and lice-the two latter, as well as most of the others, being then deemed edible by the islanders.

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Within a year many habitations, more comfortable, were built, having separate sleeping apartments, and other accommodations which gave them an air of neatness and comfort before unknown there. Then a spacious school-house was erected to ornament the village at the station, and soon, as in commencing other stations, a rude and roomy temple to Jehovah. Hoapili Wahine, who had a special charge of Molokai, encouraged the labors of the station.

468 NEW STATIONS, MOLOKAI, WAIALUA, AND EWA.

Before the close of 1835, the natives, with a very little aid, erected, with their own hands, and at their own expense, a commodious church, highly creditable to a people who had been so ignorant and indolent. It was ninety feet by forty-two, and would admit 1200 hearers; the walls being of stone, laid up with mortar made of earth mixed with grass, plastered on both sides with lime mortar, and whitewashed. Its well constructed roof was thatched with the long, strong, sear leaf of the pandanus or screw pine, the corners and ridge of the building being ornamented and secured by a raised, thick, dark border of the ki leaf. Light or straw colored mats nailed to the nether side of the beams, concealing the timbers of the roof from the audience, and similar mats spread on the ground for flooring, gave the spacious audience. room the appearance of neatness and finish suited to the climate and the taste of the people. A block of mason-work, three feet high, formed the base of the pulpit. On the 6th of December, the house was filled to its utmost capacity, hundreds standing around without, and was joyfully dedicated to the worship of the true God, when Mr. Richards preached the dedication sermon from the spirited words of the Psalmist, "Enter into thy restingplace, thou and the ark of thy strength."

About the same time, or July, 1832, the second station on Oahu was taken at Waialua by Mr. Emerson, assisted for a time by Mr. Clark, and under the patronage of Laanui. The districts of Waianae, Waialua, and Koolauloa, extending coastwise about fifty miles, and embracing a population of 7300, were connected with the station, among whom about 1600 could read. A new station was taken, and a congregation collected, at Ewa, fourteen miles west from Honolulu, where Mr. and Mrs. L. Smith were located, after they had resided a short time at Molokai.

A protracted meeting was held at Ewa in April, 1835, which continued five days, several of the missionaries of Honolulu and Waialua assisted Mr. Smith in the services, and nearly a hundred of the natives from other stations were present, some of whom returned impressed with divine truth. "The special influence of the Spirit of God," says Mr. S., "most evidently rested upon the congregation, not only during the meeting, but for several weeks subsequently. The amount of good accomplished on the occasion will be best known at the great day. One year ago the prospects around us were dark and discouraging, but a brighter day has dawned upon us; and we hope and pray that it may be a long and blessed day to these benighted Hawaiians."

After rioting and drunkenness, and the ancient dance and revelry had by the haters of truth been attempted to be revived, and a partial return to idols, house burning, and violence, appeared in the district by the no-government ultraists, the king and chiefs saw the necessity of laws for the lawless and vile for the protection of all, and they encouraged the enforce

ment of reasonable restraints. But in carrying this measure, three idolators were arrested for idolatry, and taken before the chiefs at Honolulu. This was another instance in which the civil arm was stretched out against idols. And though it is exceedingly difficult for any Christian government to define idolatry so as to oppose it by civil enactments, still the Christian rulers and the king himself supposed that any attempt to re-establish idolatry ought to be repressed by the secular power.

Could any man think of blaming Mr. Smith for not interfering with the police in the case of their arresting idolators in his district who were attempting to seduce the people back into heathenism? The law was thought to be reasonable, and the execution of it could not of course be complained of. But the law did not propose to change men's opinions, but to prevent practising and teaching image worship or idolatry.

At Puna, the south-eastern district of Hawaii, an idolatrous party wishing to honor Hapu, a woman who had died among them, canonized her, as well as they knew how, and associated her name with Jehovah and Jesus, of whom they had heard through the Gospel, as one towards whom their prayers and veneration were to be directed. They built a shrine for this new worship, this fatal "corruption of the truth," this "totally perverted Christianity." They valued the remains of this prophetess, not indeed the Romanist's "Queen of heaven "the "all powerful Virgin "--but her sister, born of Hawaiian parents, and being as worthy of the religious homage of pagans as the Jewish Mary is of that of Christians. These honored relics two young men placed in a prominent position, and called on the people to make pilgrimages thither to avoid speedy destruction. Maintaining at the same time that they believed in and worshipped the true God and Jesus Christ whom the missionaries had proclaimed, they enticed a number to hear and follow them. A considerable crowd assembled and engaged in this monstrous service, so analogous to that which Rome in a course of generations devised, and for centuries has practised.

Hearing of this insufferable abomination, Mr. Dibble and a young chief hastened thither to remonstrate and expostulate with the leaders and their dupes. These rude natives had not the learning and tact to defend their half-Christian and half-pagan worship.

On the arrival there of a watchful and earnest missionary and the young Christian chief, a large part of the worshippers disappeared. The rest, on hearing the remonstrances of a missionary and his coadjutor, professed a willingness to forsake the idolatrous part of their worship. The temple, therefore, which had been erected to the worship of Jehovah, Jesus, and their deified prophetess, was immediately devoted to the flames, as a useless and polluted thing.

It was wisely ordered that the means should be at hand for