Polynesian. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu], Hawaii) 1844-1864, 1850-02-16
For the Polynesian.
February, 1850.

Mr.. EDlTOR:-Another objection in m
mind to the missionaries leaving the Boar
at present and seeking their support iron
their people, is the fact that it would mostly
prevent the latter from contributing TO foreigI
objects Of benevOlence. At present wha
they pay for the ponO. is generally shared be
tween its support at home and its extension
abroad This l think is as it should be
Sacrifices for the maintenance Of religion!
institutions at home have ever been found t.
strengthen if not creatNna desire, and urge
to sacrifices for their pl0(hOtiOn among the
destitute Of other lands. But truly benev.
oIent spirit, and efforts to extend the bles
sings of the gospel abroad, is a no less pow
erful inducement to labor for its support
at home This being the case, it cannot be
sound bible policy to pursue either Of these
the other. But such at present are the cir
cumstances of the churches of these islands
that to support the missionaries would ex.
haust their means. Limits there must be, &c
the ability and obligation of any peoplesto
contribute for religious purposes, and with a
people so poor as this. those limits are neces.
sarily narrow. Were the missionaries to
throw themselves on their people for the
amount which :hey now receive from the
Board, few of the churches would be able
to bear the burden, even were they to devote
all their means for that object, and thus
would they be unable to make the desirable
contributions to foreign objects, and of course
could not be urged to do SO without religious
oppression. Consequently that beautiful,
vigorous and fruitful branch of the tree OF
benevolence, the mahina hou (monthly con-
cert would be deprived of its nourishment.
and droop, perhaps die. 1t is of no use to
say that the churches are numerous, consist
of many members, and ought TO do much.
They are doing much, and were christians
in more favored lands doing as much in pro-
portion, none of their parishes would be des-
titute of pastor. The wilderness of the
great west would blossom as the rose, and
the missionarys6eld all over the globe would
soon be occupied.
With the x6eans which these churches
possess,swhat church in England or the Unit
ed States, would think of even supporting the
gospel among themselves: Much less would
they do anything for its spread abroad. The
fact is there are few or no churches in the
civilized world so poor as are those of these
islands, and those thai are SO, need aid to sup
port their own preachers. 1t seems there
fore plain that in order to preserve the exis-
tence Of benevolent efforts for foreign objects
there is no alternative but for the missiona-
ries to continue for the present to derive their
support in the manner they have done. If
the bible regards any one virtue as para
mount to others it is that Of beneroience, a
habit of looking away from home, from self,
and of doing, good to others.
Love was the brightest of the train y
The grace which shone most conspicuous
ly in the perfect constellation which consti-
tutcd and adorned the character of the Sa-
vior. There should therefore be grave reas-
ons for adopting any measure calculated to
disturb its exercise. But as deriving sup
port frop the people would seriously dimin-
ish il not prevent the exercise of benevo-
lence 70 foreign objects, l object TO any
change in the manner Of missionary support.
CLERIcus.